via TJC
In the article The men America left behind published by the American Psychological Association, February 2017, Vol. 48, No. 2, says, "What it means to be a man today is different than what it meant 20 years ago," - James O'Neil, PhD. The article goes on to say, “Over the last several decades, working-class men have seen jobs in manufacturing and mining grow scarcer. Meanwhile, the economic disparity between the haves and have-nots has only gotten wider. Working-class men look into the future and see that their options are limited. They're not sure what their role in society is."
Further, in the article, Gendering the Great Depression: Rethinking the male body in 1930s American culture and literature, published by the Journal of Gender Studies 23(1), January 2014, it says, “While the model of self-made manhood has taken different forms
in different historical periods, the compulsion to prove masculinity through accumulated
wealth and social status has remained a central component of American culture from the
early nineteenth century to the present day.”
So, the American male has been programmed to believe that proving one’s masculinity is accomplished through accumulated wealth and social status. As many men have done, one works to gain and obtain, only to realize there is more to maintain. This creates a vicious cycle of more work for more money to remain in “good standing”. Please do not misunderstand me, there is nothing wrong with wealth, it’s about how it’s managed. Furthermore, it’s what’s managed first.
Provider by its own definition is the ability to “supply or make available or set as a condition”. A job does that to place food on the table, clothing, shelter, etc. So often I believe we overlook the man himself. What and Who God made us and why. How God designed us to provide through the role as Husband and Father is to supply our families with truth, confidence and stability in mind, body, spirit, and soul through Jesus Christ. To make ourselves available to the families very core needs through love, nurturing, and companionship. To set the condition in one’s house that when the world fails around us, the family knows they’re the priority.
For God so loved the world, that He GAVE… What are you giving to God and your family to set the precedent as provider beyond the material?
Daily Battle Order:
Lately I’ve struggled to place a foothold on my role as provider for many reasons, and every one of those reasons doesn’t matter to my family. Why? Because the distance and absence speak volumes. The devil will play up the inner demons we sometimes struggle with and exploit the feelings of failure. It’s a LIE! DON’T BUY IN! Dig into the Word of God and refresh your memory of who you are in Christ. Refocus on your family today and provide them more than food, shelter, and clothing.
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