MB #078: Prioritize this FIRST

Read Time: ~5 Minutes

As a Mission-Fit Dad, I would argue that you can’t operate from a place of health, strength, and impact if your relationship with your wife isn’t firing on all cylinders.

The most critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to fatherhood is your marriage.

And although most of you ‘know’ this, it might be time to evaluate how deeply you ‘believe’ this.

Why? We see in the garden when Eve ate the fruit first, that God came directly to Adam to address what happened.

Like everything else in your family, cultivating an amazing marriage is your responsibility. It’s yours to take ownership of. Not your wife’s.

You’ll have to give an account to God for your leadership.

So let’s dive in with some context first…

The Gift and Power of Ezer: A Godly Partnership

In the book of Genesis, God created Eve as an Ezer to Adam—a term that translates as “helper” but holds much more weight. Ezer in Hebrew describes a strong, essential support, often used to describe God as Israel’s helper. Far from implying a passive or subordinate role, Ezer signifies an active, powerful partnership—a source of strength that each partner brings to the relationship.

Think of it like an A-frame structure: two beams leaning into one another to form a stable, resilient frame. Just as an A-frame can bear weight and withstand pressure only when both sides are strong and mutually supportive, so too does a marriage rely on both husband and wife reinforcing each other. Each partner brings unique strengths, forming a balanced, enduring structure for the family. If one partner falters, the structure weakens, impacting everyone within it.

As fathers, this Ezer partnership is the foundation of everything else we strive to build—a partnership where husband and wife are equal and opposite forces, each providing essential support.

Although you’re the spiritual leader and head of the home, a Mission-Fit Father doesn’t just stand strong on his own; he leans into this God-given partnership, creating a united front from which he can lead his family well. It’s through nurturing this relationship that we can best serve, protect, and guide our families in line with how we feel God has called us.