Three thoughts on headship

While I'm talking about masculinity etc (here and here)...

1. Who am I head of?  Not my church.  That post is filled.  And not women in general - I trust married men react with protective outrage at the suggestion I possess some measure of headship over their wives.  I am head of my wife.  Full stop.

2. Therefore the expression of my God-given headship is not a general leadership quality but a particular loving movement towards my woman.  My masculinity is most tested by my ability to move into my wife's world with gentleness (Col 3:19), understanding (1 Pet 3:7) and sacrifice (Eph 5:25).  (In fact GUS is the acronym I use to pray for my marriage.)  Whatever definition of a 'real man' that the culture or the church comes up with, if this 'man' is unwilling or unable deeply to touch a woman - his woman - he is not yet the man he ought to be.

3.  I've never heard it advocated but I wonder whether 'headship' has a great deal to do with prayer.  The argument goes something like this:  OT headship has deep military significance.  e.g. "The LORD thunders at the head of His army." (Joel 2:11)  Our battles are with spiritual powers through prayer.  (Eph 6:10-20).  Therefore headship is being prayer warrior for your wife.  To see a 'head' at their most manly is to see him on his knees.

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