The movie Courageous was the very first Christian movie I watched when I was a new believer and 2 things from the movie deeply impressed me:
(i)How God changed the lives of the men in each family
(ii)The ‘Resolution Statements’. (These statements described commitments, men should resolve to live by as leaders of their homes)
When I re-visited this movie with my SGC members during last year’s Father’s Day, God impressed in me the need to lead my family courageously. God also used the movie’s bible study series (‘Honor Begins at Home’), to equip me. The movie’s title ‘Courageous’ was drawn from Joshua 1:6-7, 9: “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous…”
When Moses passed away and Joshua was appointed as the new leader of Israel, the big challenge God put on his shoulder was to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. He might have felt incapable (having “lived under” the shadow of Moses); he might have also felt fear and anxiety, as the Canaanites, were strong.
When leading my family, I often feel like Joshua. The only solution then is to rely on God’s power and promises and to take courage. That is the responsibility appointed by God to all fathers as they lead their families. The Resolution for Men is a book born out of the movie “Courageous”, unpacking the ‘Resolution Statements’. And the following points I would like to share are drawn from the first Resolution Statement: “I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home”.
- Love them
- Love them through marriage: children feel much more secure if their parents love each other; A man needs to step up actively to solve any issues harming his family or his marriage.
- Love them through words of affirmation: make your love to your families audible, tell them clearly how valuable they are to you; these will strengthen their sense of self-worth.
- Love them through time: delegate your time, stop excuses, your children’s level of confidence, security, and spiritual health are all connected to your influence in their lives.
- Protect them
- Fathers are the primary protectors for his families – physically, emotionally, and spiritually; keep your family from anything that will harm them in heart, mind, or body.
- Serve them
- Teach your kids to think beyond themselves and find fulfillment in loving others through word and deed. Be a role model for your kids in serving God and serving others.
- Being the spiritual leader
- The key of any man’s success is his own personal walk with God, so set apart time each day for spending time with God.
- Having a regular family time of devotion together is powerful and effective way to lead your family in God’s way.
- Make commitment to worship weekly in Church and set it as priority of your family will keep your kids growing and maturing as a follower of Christ.
By brother Li Jie