Matt Chandler, lead pastor at the Village Church, challenges men in this short video (5:11) why it is important to go to bed tired. He explains that men should work hard for the glory of God. When arriving home, the man should pray, walk into the house, serve mom and the children, and ultimately go to bed tired. In Chandler’s view, men who belong to Jesus should live in such a way that they are exhausted by the time their heads hit the pillow. He says, “Everything works right when men are being men instead of boys who can shave.”
His concern is that men go to bed with too much energy because they have not served Christ and their family as they should have during the day. Furthermore, the extra couch time and energy work together to put men in a weak position, making them more vulnerable for all kinds of other temptations. His point is that a man should go to bed tired because he has served his family with such diligence throughout the day. Man’s strength should be used for God’s glory as servants of Christ Who gives men strength to serve well.
A man should go to bed tired because he has served his family with such diligence throughout the day. Man's strength should be used for God's glory as servants of Christ Who gives men strength to serve well. Click To TweetMen are made to work and serve.
Whether or not you agree with Chandler, I observe something similar in the counseling room regularly. Men waste vast amounts of time instead of serving their families and the church. Common time wasters that get discussed in counseling by many couples include: playing video games, watching sports, surfing the internet, and the like.
Everything works right when men are being men instead of boys who can shave. - Matt Chandler Click To TweetNone of these things are sin. However, wasting the valuable time God grants you each day is. Instead of looking for ways to waste your energy in mindless forms of entertainment, use your energy as God designed. Play with the kids, serve the wife, serve the family. If you have excess energy, go serve someone in your church with your family. Wash the dishes, take out the trash, vacuum, clean the garage. Volunteer to handle things at home so that your wife can spend some time re-energizing herself – whether that is doing other work at home off her ‘to do’ list, going out for a pedicure, going grocery shopping, or whatever. If you still have more energy, then go for a walk, lift weights, ride bikes, go fishing or hunting, or whatever it is that you can do with your children. Once they have gone to bed, again, seek to serve your wife.
I hear men tell me that they can’t go to bed with their wives because they are not tired. Then get tired. Work during the day and go to bed with your wife at night. Enjoy some conversation, possibly some sex, and relax in sleep alongside your wife.
Men, God calls us to lead and love well (Eph 5:25-33). Let’s do it for the glory of God as tired men.
Work during the day and go to bed with your wife at night. Enjoy some conversation, possibly some sex, and relax in sleep alongside your wife. Men, God calls us to lead and love well. Let's do it for the glory of God as tired men. Click To Tweet
