Active Husands and Fathers

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church---for we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' This is a profound mystery---but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband" (Ephesians 5:25-33, NIV).

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4, NIV).

Passivity among men is a common temptation in the home. We are tempted to come home from work, turn on the television, read the newspaper, and go to bed. After all, we have worked hard all day.

However, if we give in to the temptation to be passive in the home, our relationships will die. Our marriages will grow cold and possibly dissolve. Our children will become distant and possibly rebellious.

God has called me to something better...something more noble. He charges me with loving my wife and guiding my son to maturity in the Lord. He calls for me to be an active and involved husband and father. With God's help, I intend to live up to the high calling that he has issued.