We heard a lot about the joke "who wears the pants in the family" but to be honest, leadership at home is not something we should laugh about.
During the last decade, our culture has redefined the responsibilities of men and women in both societies and at home. Many men are more insecure and confused. Many do not know how to act at home. Growing up, they lacked a good model for leadership or have no mental understanding of what it means to lead a family. Consequently, they do not lead effectively or worst, they don't ever try.
Many men are becoming passive at home. Some decided to do nothing. When a man is married to a strong woman, he often lets her take over.
Fortunately, scripture has an answer. The Holy Bible gives us a model for being a man, a husband, and a father. The model can be called the "servant/leader."
Be a leader.
"But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ." -1 Corinthians 11:3
"Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body." -Ephesians 5:22-30
According to the Bible verses, God placed the responsibility of the household to the husband. The Lord has assigned the wife to obey her husband.
Be careful as "head" means not male dominance. God never viewed women as second-class citizens. In the New Testament, God reminds us that women should be loved, respected and treated equally as men. But, some husbands gotten the message wrong so degrade their wives by neglecting them or abusing them.
Leading means husbands is responsible for his family and God wants you to lead perfectly by caring for your wife and children and by serving them with perseverance.
Love your wife unconditionally.
Ephesians 5:25 reads, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her." Love your wife not based on her physical appearance or her performance but on her worth as God's gift. One best thing to show that you love her is by affirming her constantly. Let her know verbally that you respect her, value her and love her.
Serve your wife.
According to the New Testament, being the head of your family does not mean being the master but the servant. Jesus demonstrated being a servant in John 13:1-17.
One of the best ways to serve your wife is to understand her needs and trying to meet them. Also, serving your wife means you provide for her. Ephesians 5:25 reads, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her."
