Sermon / ADVICE FROM THE CLERGY : Men As ‘Keepers of the Garden’

Does our nation in general and Los Angeles in particular remind us of the Garden of Eden? Do we now understand what happens in society when men fail to understand the value of manhood and neglect their assigned roles as keepers of gardens?

Everywhere young black boys go, they see women in charge. Far too many grow up in homes where the only helpful adult presence is a woman presence. When they begin school, their first teachers are women. When they come to church, their teachers are women. The most visible presence in the church is that of women. No wonder the ball players always say, “Hi, Mom.” This is not a putdown of women. This is an effort to raise up men.

According to statistics gathered by the Children’s Defense Fund, a black boy has a1 in 24 chance of being imprisoned while in his 20s. A black boy has a 1 in 45 chance of becoming a cocaine abuser, a 1 in 5 chance of becoming a marijuana abuser and a 2 in 5 chance of becoming an alcohol abuser. A black boy today has a 1 in 17 chance of being a victim of a violent crime during his teen years and only a 1 in 1,465 chance of becoming an NFL player.

The Apostle Paul suggests to us men that we need to be about the business of “living sacrificially”--putting our bodies (selves) where the needs are in the church and in society. There is no substitute for a living, breathing visible presence in whom others may see God loving, caring and helping.