When I get up in the morning, I make coffee. It reminds me who I am.
I’m not talking about the need for a caffeine fix. A lot of times the coffee sits around over an hour before I drink any. Caffeine doesn’t particularly wake me up. I don’t drink coffee as a drug.
But I prepare coffee for my wife. And I wait to drink it with her. I get out two mugs that match. Not the same mugs every day, but I want our mugs to be the same.
Most of our mugs have been in our home for a decade or two, so they show some wear and tear. I pick out the better of the two mugs and use that for my wife’s coffee.
Most of the time, I prepare both cups and serve her hers, putting in the sweetener and milk that she uses.
So hooray. I do a chore around the house. Am I looking for a medal?
No, it’s not about that. This little morning ritual reminds me who I am. I take seriously what the Bible says about me being the head of my family. (Feel free to argue about whether head means “source” or “leader” or whatever you choose) As head, from what I read in Ephesians 5, I’m called on to do several specific things.
- I’m to love my wife (and family)
- I’m to serve her
- I’m to sacrifice for her
To me that’s what it means for me to be the head of my family. And making coffee in the morning reminds me of that.