Sunday School Family Hour
Loving Your Wife As Yourself: Boys in Crisis
Dr. Ammar Saheli
Introductory Scriptural Text: Ephesians 5:28-29
A critical point to marital success is sacrifice, love, and equality on the part of the husband. From the male vantage point the text is humbling because what is done for self is to be done just as well for the wife. The emphasis God places on this text is that a man’s love for self is predicated on how he treats his wife. Mistreatment and spousal neglect on the part of the husband is simply and indicator of self-hatred. And of course, under close analysis the husband who batters, cheats, neglects, molests, etc., hypothetically may have deeply rooted issues within himself that were fostered through his own victimization.
We All Must Know & Act
When the principles in our biblical text are abused the results are devastating for children. The impact on boys and girls are crippling and sometimes unrecoverable. The church must begin to face these issues directly, with all honesty, and in safety. Who is in the business that can make a difference? This not a message just for men, just for wives, just for the married, or just for the single mother, it is for all. The message is critical to anyone who may ever find themselves in a position of guidance to another about proper spiritual roles. Any person can find themselves in a situation where they are asked for their advice on manhood, womanhood, fatherhood, motherhood, singlehood, etc. We all should be ready to biblically respond regardless of our condition or past mistakes.
Whether married, single parent, single with no children, or a teenage boy or girl, the concept and educational knowledge is critical. When fathers fail to live the principles within the text, the results are disastrous for boys. (girls will be discussed later)
Boys Under Attack
The devil has always had an interest in destroying boys and males before they become men, and men before they reach there full potential in leadership. The devil knows that spiritual men are the bedrock of His earthly church family as well as the biological family. Women are phenomenal and their work ethic is tremendous and with a husband the storms of life are softened. The devil knows if he can take a husband away from a wife, father away from a son/daughter, or a man mentor out of the life of his young male mentee, he can cause major spiritual disruption and damage.
Boys and males of are being destroyed. Generally, boys of African and Latin origins are suffering from deficient role-model representation and realism while Caucasian boys are being raised to believe they are inherently better (White supremacy). Both are heinous forms of destruction launched by the devil.
Is There Any Balm In Gilead?
Jeremiah 8:2-22
How long will we continue to make the same mistakes? As a community, church, people, and individuals we must take an interest and invest in our own preparation in light of today and the future. If people prepare today they will be able to exemplify the proper paradigm for others in the near and distant future. The value of family in many of our young people has been virtually lost. When the husband does not love his wife like himself, he leaves his children with a destructive legacy that only God can holistically and healthily break.