Manhood, Responsibility, and Work

One of the fundamental traits of manhood is responsibility. Part of what it means to be a man is to take responsibility and to do well with one's duties. In Genesis 1:26-28 God chose to make man, and to make him in His own image and after His likeness. From there, God gave man responsibility: to subdue the earth and to have dominion over everything in it.

Responsibility means working. Man was created to work, originally in the Garden, to dress it and to keep it (Gen. 2:8, 15). Man was to expand the Garden: to learn it, cultivate it, manage it, spread it, and increase its varieties. The Garden was his, and he was to make the most out of it. This is what taking responsibility looks like.

This is the principle Proverbs 12:11 gives: "He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding." To till your land is to work with the property God has given you. Clear the land, pick the rocks, plow the soil, plant the crop and harvest it. Make the most out of what God has given you. This is what all of us are to do in any work endeavor, including working with people: cultivate, make better, and make useful and productive.

Giving our boys responsibilities teaches them manhood and gives them a sense of purpose. We also need to teach them to fulfill their responsibilities well, to do their best. Doing tasks well over time develops excellence as a character trait (we want this in our girls too). The affect on families, churches, and society will be outstanding.