1 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites--men, women and children--gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. 2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. 3 Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. 4 Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it." Ezra 10:1-4
In an earlier entry on “Life Quotes” I shared the Ramos family manhood definition which reads, “Manhood is accepting responsibility, rejecting passivity, pursuing God passionately, leading courageously and finishing strong.” It is not by accident that “accepting responsibility” is top of the list that separates men form boys.
Boys refuse to move out of their girlfriend’s place. Boys run when the responsibility of a child is on the line. Boys sleep in on Sundays. Boys refuse to do what is beneath their pay grade even if that means remaining unemployed. Boys listen to the television more than their children. Boys refuse to embrace their God-mandated responsibility to lead. Boys serve their hobbies more than their wife. Boys displace blame and project responsibility onto some imaginary force.
Are you getting the picture?
I once heard leadership expert John Maxwell say, “A leader can delegate everything except final responsibility.” Men must embrace this and lead their lives in such a way. Whether we like it or not men are responsible for the actions of the people you lead especially their wife and children. Listen to what Paul writes to young Timothy about the men in the Church who want to lead, “He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church (1 Timothy 3:4-5)?” God gives greater judgment and accountability to teachers and leaders (James 3: 1), which includes every man over his family.
Men, however, will make their own choices. People desire leadership and direction and that direction for the family comes from, you guessed it, the man. Boys defer leadership but men embrace it.
You, man, must assume responsibility for anyone under your leadership care. Once men accept God’s call to lead they accept the responsibility for those they lead. In this passage Ezra is, “praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God (1)” confessing his lack of spiritual leadership and accepting responsibility for the men who were, “unfaithful to… God by marrying foreign women (2).”
It takes incredible courage for the leader to accept full responsibility, even for the choices of others they lead. Courageously accepting responsibility; however, is not enough. Courageous leadership takes action (4). Accepting responsibility is not an end in itself. It is simply a means to leading those God has given us charge over.
Make a mental list of those you have a biblical mandate to lead? Where can you accept responsibility and step up your leadership game? Mostly, where have you been a boy?
