Are you a DECORATIVE or FUNCTIONAL pillar? – Part 3

Being a decorative or functional pillar in the context of families can be daunting and at best challenging, but our trust is in God to help us embrace and express the people He already made us to be. The scripture makes us understand, “God sets the solitaries in families,” read Psalm 68:6. In other words, every pillar belongs in the context of a family; the man as the pillar to be the provider and leader of his home (trusting God in the process), trusting the Lord to make him “God’s own man,” the woman, making her the pillar of being a home maker; Proverbs 31:10-31 gives us deep insights into the pillar made out of a woman. I heard my earthly father say this to me before I got married, “To be a real man takes God.” Obviously, at the time I did not think anything of it until I started to become God’s own man, when I started to realise the responsibilities of manhood; not from an intellectual aspect, but from a spiritual context. I figured, If I was going to become a success at being a pillar in the family context, then I needed to consult with the one who designed the master plan for men and women as pillars in the family context.  And what I found out from my research was ‘men and women’ are equal in a family context; as scripture says “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” Read Ephesians 5:31. So here is my thought, I see two very solid pillars in man and woman, coming together, intertwining their strengths and abilities for a common purpose of supporting the family.

Let us look at a perfect illustration in scripture to gain further understanding and insight into this delicate area of man and woman being pillars in the context of the family. Ephesian 5: 22 (NKJV) “Wives, submit (yield) to your own husbands, AS TO THE LORD… Husbands, love your wives, JUST AS CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH…” …”That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot of wrinkle or any such thing…” Therefore, man and woman as pillars in the family is likened to how the church is the bride of Christ. We understand through insight from studying the scriptures, that Jesus Christ is the unifying force between man and woman, hence they are able to intertwine their pillars for the sole purpose of effectively supporting the family. In the context of man and woman as support in the family, there should no decorative pillars but only functional pillars. Jesus Christ demonstrated to us with His life on the cross that He was the ultimate functional pillar; how? 1 John 2:2 says “He Himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins, and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” In other words, Jesus Christ was a functional priest; who stood and supported, even till this day the cause of humanity, and that is why many around the world, every waking moment are realising the need to “confess, Jesus as Lord.” Jesus remains that everlasting pillar of support for you and I.

You might be reading this post today, and you find yourself asking, I need this pillar of Christ to uphold and to support me. You might be saying, I need to be propped up in every area of my life; I urge and encourage you, boldly, call out to Jesus Christ, invite Him to be the pillar of your life, let Him in, and expect to be propped up, built up and strengthened in your inner man. Hey, I am glad you took the bold step in calling out to Jesus, because He says “When you call, I will answer…”

This was not how I expected this text to go, but I am not my own man, I belong to God and I have seen His immeasurable grace and support over me; and for that I am eternally grateful.

We write You read Be encouraged.