Brothers, God has put in us from birth a desire to protect. That is standard equipment for men. When a man is protecting his family, it is a picture that makes sense and fits with the reality of God’s divine plan. When a woman is left to fend for herself or she tries to assume the role as protector of her household, it is a pitiful sight, one that brings shame and makes us shake our heads in bewilderment and even disgust. A common movie plot involves a man who is challenged in his protection of the family. He wimps out and his wife has to step up and do it. Or, and this plot is less prevalent in our current culture, he does whatever it takes, even taking the law into his own hands, to protect his family. The truth is husbands and wives both should work to protect the family from danger. But it is the man who is called to lead.
The Bible records the story of David and Abishai sneaking into King Saul’s encampment one night while everyone was asleep, including Abner, the commander of Saul’s army and the one who was therefore responsible to keep the king alive. David could have speared Saul to death but he knew that was not permitted by the Lord, so instead he took Saul’s spear and a jug of water that were by Saul’s head. Then he went up on top of a hill nearby and yelled like a wild man until everybody woke up. David yelled, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Abner said, “Who are you who calls to the king?” I love David’s response. He said, “Are you not a man?” Hey, Abner, are you a MAN?! Then David said, “And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy (him).” David went on to say that Abner had messed up royally and deserved to die.
Let’s turn that question back to you and me, brothers. “Are you not a man? Who is like you in your household? Who is equipped by God like you are equipped by God? Are you guarding the treasure that has been entrusted to you? For you must know that the world and the devil are trying to come in and destroy that treasure.”
The whole issue of a man as protector of his family goes back to the garden. God created Adam first. He gave Adam His Word: You can eat of any tree in the garden except one; the day you eat of it, you will surely die. Eve was then created to be Adam’s helpmeet, and it was clear that God held Adam responsible when he failed to protect Eve from deception. She took of the fruit and ate it, then gave some to Adam, whom, the Bible says, “was there with her.” The next thing you know, the darkness of sin had fallen on the earth and God came calling. “Adam, where are you?” He could have just as easily said, “Adam, where were you? Your wife was deceived, and you were standing right there watching! You did nothing to stop it, nothing to protect her, nothing to protect your family. Look what happened as a result.” Men, nothing good can come from a man stepping out of his responsibility to protect.
Paul addressed this issue of protection in 2 Corinthians in writing to the church, “For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” Paul referred to the marriage covenant here as an analogy to the church, warning her to listen to her Husband so as not to be deceived as Eve was. Our bridegroom, Christ, has spoken clearly through His Word to protect us from every deception. Men, exercise godly jealousy over your household. We can clearly see that there is a jealousy that is good and there is a fear that is good. “I feel a divine jealousy for you,” Paul wrote. In the same way, we are to pray for, establish and hold onto a godly jealousy toward our wives and toward our children. No one in his right mind would allow another man to waltz through the front door of his house and lead his wife away. No one in his right mind would allow a stranger to come into his house and carry off one of his children. We are called by God to exercise a godly jealousy for our wives and children, spiritually and emotionally, just as we do physically. Paul then says, “I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” There’s a godly fear that motivates us to action.
Man the ramparts, men. Watch the road. Dress for battle; collect all your strength. Those words from God through the prophet Nahum are appropriate for us today.
Men, you can say to your children, “I cannot walk every road for you, but while God has entrusted you to me, I will do everything I can to help you recognize dangerous roads before you choose them.” That captures the biblical role of a protector. A godly man is not called to control his family but to shepherd them toward Christ, guarding them from dangers that would pull them away from the truth.
We can do it, men, and we have a community of godly men in the church who are standing together in this fight. We are not alone.
J. Mark Fox 