Spiritual Leader

5/11/14          Aiden                         about 20

Aiden, a young man in an aisle at Walmart, claimed to have been “saved” at a much younger age, but that his fiancé is now the one who is really religious, so, to help a young man preparing for marriage, I told him what I believe to be true about a man’s role as the “spiritual leader” of his family.  The best way I know to explain it is by comparing it to an airline pilot.  Just as the head pilot of an airplane is responsible for the flight even though he might hand over the controls to the co-pilot for a time, God holds the husband/father in a family ultimately responsible for the spiritual leadership of the family. This pattern was set in the beginning, when God went to Adam first to give an account for his sin in eating the forbidden fruit. (Gen 3)  The mistake we make in modern society, I believe, is to think that just because God gives men and women different roles this means one is better than the other.  I also told Aiden that we have our wives and local church as co-partners to help us in our responsibilities.  I may sound archaic in our culture, but here I stand, and Aiden was appreciative of the advice, believing God had somehow sent me to him.   After we talked, a lady came back to tell me “I heard you talking to that young man, and didn’t want to disturb you, but thanks for what you are doing.  Some of us aren’t so bold”  “Well, I’m not either, it is never easy for me to step out of my comfort zone, but I’m always glad I did afterward.  But thanks for the encouragement!”