A Man's Job

"Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it." -Exodus 12.5-7

As the people prepare for the final plague God gives instructions for them to follow in order to be protected. Unlike the last few plagues where God has made a distinction between Israel and Egypt, this one requires intentional action for salvation. And with this action comes a lasting reminder that is still celebrated today.

To be protected from the plague a perfect male lamb is to be taken, killed and it's blood placed above and on the sides of the door of each home. Those who obey will be saved, and this responsibility falls to the man of the house. It is his job to make sure his family is safe. It is his job to do the unpleasant task of killing an innocent lamb and spreading its blood by the door. It is a man's job.

Men, as much as some women protest, gender roles are part of who we were created to be. I'm reading a book with a wise "old" Sage, called Father Hunger, and in it the author tells how there are things a man does because he was made to do them. "Men don't carry things because they happen to have broad shoulders. They have broad shoulders because God created them to carry things." God made us the way we are so that we can do the jobs a man needs to do.

If there is a crashing noise in my house at 2:30 AM, who's going downstairs with the 12 gauge to investigate? Me, I'm the man. If my children are scared of something, who is going to protect them? Me, I'm the man. If the family dog needs to get put down for some reason, who will take her? Me, I'm the man.

There are jobs a man must do, because a man was made to do them. Back in Egypt a man was needed to kill an innocent lamb, and spread his blood above the door to protect his family. It's an unpleasant task, but one that had to be done, and in order to keep his family safe, a man does it.

We have a role to play, and often times it involves difficult, scary, or unpleasant tasks. Will you man up and do the job that you were created to do?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor