Masculinity? 3 - Husbandmen

REVIEW - Last time we looked at the role of Lords in the masculinity of men. Man was created to exercise dominion in the earth. We get a mandate from God in the garden, he re-iterates this after the flood and we get a spin on it at the Great Commission. We see this impulse in boys as they grow up and keep a sense of adventure and vision. Fathers need to channel and direct this energy to an obedient response. But there is more to just "lording" over the earth.

Husbandmen – Discover, conquer, subdue. Being a lord and lording over. Words that sound great in the realm of masculinity. It plays right into adventure and power. But if we stop at subduing and lording, extinction is only a matter of time. Man was created, not only to discover and conquer new worlds, but also to make those worlds flourish. The command by God to subdue carries a second part with it.

“the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep
it” (Gen. 2:15).

This second aspect means that men are created to conquer and subdue, and after this, to settle down. After man was created, God placed him in the garden to tend and protect it. Notice, the same man he gives dominion to is the same man he tells to tend and keep it. The easy part is lording, the hard part is being the husbandman of the land.

Man does not just build bridges and space stations. He must also tend and oversee the organic things which he plants there – gardens, families, towns. Home improvement projects (whether simple and small or large enough to be a remodel), working in a garden, and basic yard work are all opportunities for boys to excercise this aspect of masculinity. Whether it's carpentry, gardening, or landscaping; it's all the same: 80% care and common sense and 20% skill. You do not have to be highly skilled to make furniture, as long as you never lose your temper, plan carefully and practice, practice, practice. The difference between a professional and me? They cut joints everyday. That's all. Great lessons can be acquired by small boys in a garden. A rich farmer was once rebuked for having his sons work in the fields when they didn’t have to. His reply was apropos to this discussion. He wasn’t raising corn, he explained, he was raising boys.

Take the tree fort impulse we talked about last time that all boys seem to have. They have it, so go build one. Building a decent treehouse is really hard. It takes probably 2-3 hours after work everyday for a couple weeks and all day Saturday and Sunday both of those weekends as well. Cost would probably be a couple hundred dollars too. In other words, it's a job for dads. Most Dads work 60 hours at a job, why not 60 hours with your son in 2 weeks! And how much was the PS3 and Madden 07? The treehouse won't go out of date and its healthier. We are well aware of the satisfaction gained from nailing bits of wood to a tree, but for something that look right, is strong and safe, and will last more than just a few months, you need a bit more than that. And do not forget the skull and crossbones...it's a must!

Again this is a chance to channel energy and teach life lessons. It's worth the effort, the sweat, the cost, and even the blood. The whole premise whether it's a tree house filled with sons and their friends, or a fresh salad with home-grown ingredients at family dinner time, or a summer game night out on the new deck and patio, it's a thing of beauty. And that's the why just lording isn't enough. But there is more to this tending and overseeing the organic things, and unfortunately, too many Christians ignore this part of the mandate.

All Christians share a burden in our environment and should be “environmentally friendly.” Just like anything else, this can go to an extreme and be carried too far (Al Gore). Ideally, that line to draw is your own. But we have a moral obligation to tend and keep this world we have been given. Our command after the flood was to replenish. You can’t go too far “replenishing” if you suck the earth dry. Any good lord takes on the role of husbandman and tends to his fields, home, and family and makes sure not to kill them in the process. Boys therefore should be learning to be patient, careful, and hard-working.

Next Up - Saviors