So Goes the Man, So Goes the House

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15

If one were to consider the context, the children of Israel are at a pivotal point in their pilgrimage. They have witnessed the faithfulness of Jehovah, their God. He has brought them to the land promised to them. They have become the living testimony of God’s ability to perform what He promises. It is here that Joshua reminds them of their responsibility to obey the commands of the Lord. The Israelites are torn between their obedience to the Lord and the lure of the influences of the nations surrounding them. Joshua, as their leader, confronts them with this reality because he is aware of their frailty. Even though they have witnessed the power of their God, they are yet prone to flirt with the enticements of the culture they find themselves living in.

It is at this point that Joshua exercises leadership most effectively. He leads by example. Not only does he lead as one called by God, but he also leads as a man who is responsible for his house. He confronts the people by revealing their tendency to miss the mark but then reminds them that they still have a choice to make. He declares: “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua draws a line in the sand. Notice he draws the line when it comes to his relationship with God and with his family. Joshua makes the point to the entire nation that his God and his family represent his priorities. In essence, he communicates to the leadership that each of them is responsible for being examples to their households as he is to the nation as a whole.

Inherent in his communication is the assumption that the man plays a significant role in the governance of his household. The man is the leader and has the responsibility to provide leadership and covering for his family. One must remember that the children of Israel had not been removed from slavery and bondage in Egypt for some four hundred years. It is understood that they are yet struggling with their own identity and priorities because they are still exposed to cultures contrary to the one God has in mind for them. Men today are suffering from the same challenges. Men live in a culture that has compromised their authority while undermining their identity. And like the men in Joshua’s day, men today have been lulled to sleep concerning their families and their homes. The point must be made that men today need to be challenged like the men in Joshua’s day. There is a need for an example. There is a cry from the wives, sons, and daughters who will suffer the consequences of the decisions made today.  History bears witness that when men are not in their rightful place, everyone else in the family suffers loss as a result.

God decided who a man is when He made him. However, each man must decide who he will become. There is no guarantee that every man will become the husband, father, or provider that God created him to be. Life is real, and it has taken its toll on manhood. Today’s culture is unrelenting in its attack on manhood specifically and masculinity in general.  How does one motivate men to the reality that more is at stake than just their current crisis? Men today must sharpen their brothers less there be no brothers to sharpen. Fathers must stir up their sons before there are no more sons to stir up. Sound the alarm and let every man know that he is the foundation of the family. Can an army of men be rallied before it is too late? May every man who will commit to being an example of manhood according to the original pattern. Whatever the decision the man makes, he must be reminded of this truth: ‘so goes the man, so goes the household!’