When a man wants to prove His love for a woman, what does he do? He may write a poem, compose a song, buy her an expensive gift, or even ask her to marry him. What did God do to prove His love for us? Romans 5:8 gives us the answer: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The Big Idea: God proved His love for us by what He was willing to GIVE UP for us: His Son.

Under the theme “Better relations between Men and Women,” International Men’s Day Bahamas 2021 hosted a week of activities and saw men giving their hearts to the Lord at a 'Peace and Prayer' rally. With all the violence against women and children that is going on in our country, the theme and focus was very fitting. As men, we are called on by God in 1 Corinthians 11:3 to understand that the head of every man is Christ and the head of every woman and the husband, and the head of Christ is God”. This is saying that men should be protectors of our women as Jesus and God protects us. If we are going to be protectors of something or someone, we will not try to hurt or abuse it.

Why does God love us? “God is love” (1 John 4:8). The dictionary says that love is a deep affection or fondness, the Bible defines it as self-sacrifice and in John 3:16 we find the perfect answer, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…” (John 3:16).

As Christians and as men, we should show love and not hurt the people we claim to love. Ellen White reminds in Prophets and Kings, 31 Chl 4.1, “The path of men who are placed as leaders is not an easy one. But they see in every difficulty a call to prayer. Never should they fail to consult the Source.” As leaders, men should look to Jesus and be men of prayer, loving the women and children God has placed in their lives. Taking literal Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, loves your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” and Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”.

Men of God, we must put an end to this violence and abuse against women and children immediately. As fathers and mentors, let’s not yell at our children or youth and expect them to sleep well, do well in school, and have good nights and days. Let us set our tone by speaking life, love, bravery, kindness, hope, truth, and let us listen to our youth and help them to grow as Jesus did in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man Luke 2:52.

This is not the time to sleep but let us rise up and be the men that God has called us to be. Let us take charge of our families, our homes, communities, and places we are set to be in charge of and lead the way God would want us to. Let us ensure that our environment is safe for the family and others. Let us train the younger men and children and show them how to love and be responsible for our actions. Once we as men are willing to prove our love for our women and children around, stay in touch with God through prayer and the reading of His Word, and live the way God designed, we will end the violence and abuse and have better relations between men and women.

--Article written by Elder Curtis Bryan, Men’s Ministries Coordinator, South Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.