Recapture Value in True Manhood

July 28, 2010 by  
Filed under Blog, Faith, Fatherhood, Scriptural Examples, Virtue

I saw this story because it’s a “buzz” word for me… my alerts send me anything that talks about “true manhood” onJesus with Samaritan the internet.  I think it’s worth reading, so I posted it.  Although I don’t agree with everything Mr. Flurry says and does, I believe his take on where to find the definition to true manhood is in Scripture and that Christ is the perfect example of manliness for us.

July 21, 2010 | From theTrumpet.com by Gerald Flurry

Men today are suffering from gender confusion. Our society is now full of “soft”—and unhappy—males. Men’s encounter groups are springing up all over the world to help men deal with their intense sadness. Some are beating drums and dancing war dances to recapture their true manhood. What is true manhood anyway?

 Unfortunately, as writer Robert Bly puts it, we now live in the age of the “soft male.” In the early ’90s, he expressed his concerns about American men in a book titled Iron John, which contains some astute observations.

Mr. Bly states: “The male in the past 20 years has become more thoughtful, more gentle. … He’s a nice boy who pleases not only his mother but also the young woman he is living with. … But many of these men are not happy. You quickly notice a lack of energy in them. They are life-preserving but not exactly life-giving. Ironically, you often see these men with strong women who positively radiate energy. Here we have a finely tuned young man, ecologically superior to his father, sympathetic to the whole harmony of the universe, yet he himself has little vitality to offer” (pages 2-3).

Today, many men, young and old, have become confused as to what it means to be a man. Many are perplexed on how to behave in marriage, in the family or in society. To put it simply, men are suffering from serious gender confusion.

Our Upside-Down Society

What has caused gender confusion?

The women’s movement has led the pack in creating new roles for both sexes. Having almost complete access to a liberal press and television, the feminist movement has wielded considerable influence over the massive social changes taking place the last several decades. The traditional roles for men—leader, husband, father, provider, and protector—have become the focal point of criticism and ridicule in newspaper articles, books, movies and TV sitcoms. The “Dagwood” cartoon is a perfect example of such ridicule. Mr. Bumstead is portrayed as a bumbling idiot who must always be bailed out by a bright, intelligent—always on target—wife.

The Prophet Isaiah wrote this about our current social values: “Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding” (Isaiah 29:15-16). Isaiah criticizes our leaders—the men and women who influence our culture—by showing they are guilty of turning things upside down. “Upside down” is an apt description of our society and its values. It is a perfect description of many of today’s marriages and families. The new roles carved out for men and women today are not as God designed them to be.

But, the feminist movement does not share all of the blame for the plight of today’s men. There are several other conditions that are contributing to our “soft male” syndrome. The truth is, men have had their own part in creating this problem.

Women Rule Over Them

The majority of today’s families are suffering from absentee fathers. Because of selfishness, either as career pursuits or just plain pleasure-seeking, many men are shunning their responsibilities at home. How many fathers have allowed themselves to become mere shadows in the family? Think about this scenario. Tonight, how many homes will have a father either sleeping on a couch or absorbed in a sports program on TV, while the wife is assisting the children with homework or other activities? Far too many!

Men are capitulating their role as leader, energizer, and influencer to their wives. Our sons (and daughters) are growing up without a father actively involved with and guiding their young lives. Many wives have been forced to be both father and mother. Today’s sons are growing up under a heavy feminine influence. Many men have become soft because they are not being properly taught how to be men.

One other factor contributing to the effect of “soft males” is our high divorce rate. This has produced a large number of female-dominated, single-parent families. In other words, too many sons are growing up without any male role model in the home. Isaiah also wrote of our time, “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths” (Isaiah 3:12).

Think about this scripture. God holds heavy criticism for our modern society. God is upset with us for allowing children to oppress us and women to rule over us. But who is God upset with? Who is at fault? Certainly today’s women. We do now live in a female-dominated society. God says that this is definitely in error. However, it would be too easy to just place all the blame on today’s women. Shouldn’t we also criticize men for giving up their leadership role to women? Yes—a resounding, yes!

Combine all of these factors together: the feminist movement, the media ridicule of men, the lack of strong male role models, female-dominated families, and it becomes easy to see why we have “soft males” that must turn to mother for help when they face a crisis!

Although some thinking people recognize the weaknesses in today’s men, they do not realize the somber consequences if the problems are not corrected quickly. Robert Bly feels that men are just experiencing another saga in our evolution. But man is not a product of evolution. We cannot evolve our way out of society’s tragic problems.

We must learn what God reveals about this so we can live faithfully according to His revealed knowledge about men and the role men must play in marriage, in family and in society. Our society no longer knows how to value real manhood. Many men are suffering great unhappiness as a result. This article will show you how to recapture value in true manhood.

Man the Head

God designed men and women to function a certain way for a tremendous spiritual purpose. God reveals in Genesis, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:26-27). God’s supreme purpose is for men and women to be born into His own spirit Family. God planned this physical life to be the training ground for that eternal life. To qualify to live for eternity, men and women must first live as God devised physically. Modern men and women have rejected God’s revealed knowledge concerning the unique sex roles for men and women. A global disaster is about to strike this planet as a result. All mankind must learn to live as God intended. Human beings will never be happy until they live according to God’s revealed purpose. What does God reveal about His intended role for men?

Some scientists believe that the female evolved first. That piece of information does not square with your Bible. Paul instructed Timothy, “For Adam was first formed, then Eve” (1 Timothy 2:13). God created Adam first. Why? Was it because he was better? No. Adam was created first because God intended that he be the head, or leader, of the family. Paul explained to the Ephesians, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body” (Ephesians 5:23).

The man’s God-ordained role as leader of the family is markedly evident throughout the Bible. Paul stated it this way to the Corinthians: “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3). What does Paul mean when he uses the word head?

In these two verses Paul used the Greek word kephale for head. The Strong’s Concordance number for this word is 2776. Thayer’s shows that this word means “anything supreme, chief, prominent, of persons, master lord … of a husband in relation to his wife.” In today’s language we could use the word president, chancellor, prime minister, king or captain in place of head. In other words, Paul taught that Adam was given seniority over Eve. By extension then, married men hold seniority over their wives.

It is also interesting to note that kephale indicates that the headship must be seized, or taken hold of. Where do most men fail today? How did Adam fail? Adam failed by not taking hold of or seizing his God-given authority. Study for yourself the incident in Genesis 3. Although Bible scholars and today’s educators see Adam and Eve’s story as allegory, we must see it as divine revelation. Chapters 1 and 2 make it clear that Adam was the appointed leader, the one in charge. Eve was to be his helper (Genesis 2:18). But who took charge? Eve. She ate of the wrong tree and led Adam to do so. Adam sinned by eating of the wrong tree. However, he was not deceived into eating (1 Timothy 2:14). He allowed Eve to lead him into this sin. Adam allowed Eve to make the decision. By following Eve, he disobeyed God’s direct command to him alone (Genesis 2:16-17). Eve had not been created yet. Adam should have taught her God’s command. Who committed the greater sin? Clearly it was Adam.

Christ the Perfect Example

Some men fail today in marriage and family life because they will not take hold of or seize their God-ordained authority. Some men prefer that women assume the role of leader and decision maker. This is a serious sin before God. Paul wrote, “But I suffer not a woman … to usurp authority over the man …” (1 Timothy 2:12). Men must be careful not to fall into Adam’s sin. Women must learn not to repeat Eve’s sin. The lesson from Genesis is a tough one. When a man is weak or when a woman commandeers a man’s authority, tragic events take place. Generally, children suffer the most. Genesis records Adam and Eve’s tragic family problems that arose as a result of their sin. Remember, their firstborn son killed his brother. Adam and Eve’s decision to reject God’s revealed knowledge has brought much suffering into the life of mankind ever since.

There is another side to men’s problems with leadership. Those willing to lead have not known how to lead! When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they began to decide for themselves what was right and wrong. Cut off from God’s revelation, men have been experimenting with their authority ever since.

Since Adam’s time, most men have been trying to decide for themselves what leadership means. History is full of examples of wrong leadership. In past ages, men made women slaves—mere property. Even today, some men expect their wives to fulfill their every whim. Over time, men have been despotic tyrants, dictators, and absolute rulers who abuse power. This is not as God intended. If a man is considered a king, then his wife is the queen. Although a man and woman do not share equal authority, they should be equal in dignity. In our modern times, too many women and wives have been physically and verbally abused. God is going to severely punish men for committing such crimes.

How then should a man “seize” his authority?

Jesus Christ is the perfect example. Men should lead their wives as Christ leads the Church. Paul’s statement to the Ephesians is worth repeating here. “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). How does Christ lead the Church? He leads it by love and service! Men should lead their wives and families by loving and serving them. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (verse 25).

A man who is Christ-like in his marriage will exhibit outgoing concern for his wife and her welfare. It is true that a woman was created to be a man’s helper. But a husband who understands what it means to be a leader will lovingly serve his wife’s and family’s needs. Paul wrote the Colossians, “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them” (Colossians 3:19). Christ takes care of the Church’s needs in love. A husband who has Christ’s character is kind, considerate, affectionate and giving. He does not treat his wife with bitterness or resentment.

Husband—Savior

As Head of the Church, Christ leads by saving it. Christ rescues, saves and helps the Church. A husband should also be a type of savior toward his wife. Jesus Christ has so much love for the Church that He willingly gave Himself for it as the supreme sacrifice. Jesus Christ gives instead of trying to get. The husband, as a leader, must follow Christ’s example.

As a type of savior, husbands have been given an exalted position. Men should not let that go to their heads. With this position comes grave responsibility. In referring to leadership, Christ taught the disciples, “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11). A husband must have the attitude of a servant toward his wife and family.

Jesus Christ said this of Himself, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Jesus Christ did not “lord it over” the disciples. He does not “lord it over” the Church. He served the disciples and now serves the Church. Men should not “lord it over” their wives.

Many men have trouble with the words submission and authority. Some have fallen into the trap of thinking that they must make all of the decisions all of the time. Jesus Christ does not even do this with the Church (Matthew 16:19). God created women to help men in the decision-making process. There are many times when a wife’s input is necessary. There will be times when a husband and wife will disagree. This does not mean that the wife is rebellious. But both husband and wife should realize that Christ has given final authority in the decision process to the man. Men must use wisdom and outgoing concern when making decisions.

A husband must set the example in Christian character as well. Men must set the example in prayer, Bible study and fasting. Men should set an example of submission and obedience to God’s Word.

Husband—Provider

A husband must provide for his wife. In other words, he must rescue, help and save his wife physically. Every man naturally sees to his own needs. He must provide for hers as well. Paul instructed the Ephesians, “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church” (Ephesians 5:28-29). If we truly cherish our wives, we will see that they are nourished and taken care of physically.

Paul wrote Timothy, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8). In comparison to a woman’s body, a man’s body and cell structure was designed to handle hard physical labor. Men were designed to be the providers.

As men, we should be hard working so that we can provide for the needs of our wives and family. Our society is full of men who are just too lazy to work. Too many men are on the take. They are leaving it to the government or other family members to provide for their families. Many women today are working outside of the home because their husbands are not.

Yes, economically it is very difficult today. Some families’ needs require that both husband and wife work. If there are small children at home, if at all possible, the wife should not work. Whether a wife works or not is a serious decision. If a wife goes to work because a husband will not, God says that man has “denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” That is a very serious condemnation.

What should a man do if he loses his job? He should work eight hours a day to get another job! Until he finds a job, he should also be willing to work several part-time jobs. What if a man cannot find a job in his area of training? He should seek the proper education or retraining to obtain a job. Having a good work ethic is a large part of developing strong Christian character in men. Some men in the Church in Paul’s day were not working as they should. Here is what he said to them: “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10 ).

Husband—Teacher

A husband has responsibility to provide for his wife’s spiritual development as well. Peter wrote, “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Peter 3:7). A man owes his wife honor and respect. He must provide for her physical needs. But he must also realize that she is an heir of eternal life. A man must ensure that his wife has the time and opportunities to attain the Kingdom of God.

The most significant job Christ performs as Head of the Church is that of teacher. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:26-27). Jesus Christ desires a bride who is beautiful because of righteousness (Revelation 19:7-8). Christ is going to ensure the Church’s future beauty through His teaching. He is washing it now through the His Word.

A man must also teach his wife. “And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church” (1 Corinthians 14:35). A husband should know his Bible well enough so that he can guide his wife and family spiritually. He should be ever watchful over the spiritual needs of his wife and family—making sure they have time to pray and study, to fast without interruption from himself or the children. He should take the time to patiently answer his wife’s Bible questions and conduct family Bible studies. Are we ashamed to do these things? Jesus Christ warns us, “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26). Great shame will come upon us men if we do not teach our wives and families.

No Drum Beating

Many men have become very unhappy with the state of men in this world. Men are beginning to recognize that being “soft” is not solving society’s problems. Some recognize that men and society need to understand true manhood. Men need to be men. Men’s encounter groups are springing up all over the world to attempt to deal with the intense loss and sadness that men are feeling about themselves. In these encounter groups, men beat drums and dance war dances to try to recapture their lost manhood. Some men’s groups are studying mythology to recapture true manhood.

But these methods will never work. The understanding of true manhood can only be found in the pages of your Bible. Let’s be men. Let’s recapture the value in true manhood. Let’s study our Bibles and ask God to make us the men we need to be! – END

True Devotion to Jesus, Through Mary

April 28, 2010 by  
Filed under Blog

Today is the feast day of St. Louis de Montfort.  St. Louis lived in the 17th and 18th centuries and his greatest contribution to the faithSt. Louis de Montfort 2 was that of perseverance in the face of critique and encouragement of the Church to be devoted to Jesus through Mary.  For many, this Catholic teaching is hard because they may see devotion to Mary as an unnecessary practice, and in some cases, as blasphemous.  Others may see devotion to Mary as something less-than-manly.  On the contrary!  Devotion to Mary, which St. Louis stressed in both writings, words and deeds, is the way to grow incredibly close to her son, our Lord, Jesus.  As men, we have a great deal to learn about obedience and can learn a lot from Mary’s example.

First, the Maryology… there’s too much that would go into giving a dissertation on Mary here, however, I will draw attention to her place in salvation history.  Mary accepted God’s will in her life and enthusiastically followed.  Through her ‘yes’, Christ came into the world.  Christ means King, and Mary therefore is the Queen Mother.  The Queen Mother sits with the King petitioning for His loyal servants. (1 Kings 1:19.)  By her ‘yes’, we reap the benefits of our Saviour.

St. Louis de MontfortSt. Louis shows us that the theological virtues are the way to TrueManhood.  He set a great example for us to achieve the virtues of faith, hope and love.  The world attempts to tell men that these virtues are feminine and unnecessary.  Take a look at just about any piece of media and you will see a direct attack against these virtues.  St. Louis demonstrated great courage in the face of opposition and persecution to strive for faith, hope and love.

Lastly, a brief word of encouragement in regards to the Rosary.  Faithful Catholics don’t just ‘say’ the Rosary, we ‘pray’ the Rosary.  The Rosary is a mixture of reciting communal prayers (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, etc.) AND a deep meditation (simultaneously, mind you) of the mysteries of the Rosary.  The mysteries point directly to Christ’s life and ministry, culminating in His saving work of dying on the cross for our sins – the greatest example of manliness we have!  Pray on!

The Rosary is our sword in the battle of Good vs. Evil.

TrueMan up!

ASK AN EXPERT – BACK TO THE CATHOLIC FAITH

April 1, 2010 by  
Filed under Blog, Faith

My latest Ask an Expert response on iibloom.com:

Man walking

QUESTION: What can I do for my 20 yr old son to come back to the Catholic faith?

ANSWER: This question is on the mind of parents everywhere. There isn’t a cookie-cutter answer because your son (and everyone else’s adult child) is unique. Please realize that the answer to the question for you and your son could take years to figure out. And, you have to be able to come to grips with the fact that your son may never return to the faith. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but a reality. On a personal level, I relate closely to this topic because I put my parents, family and friends through the very same thing about 10 years ago when I was 19 years old. I’ll get to the reason why I came back to the faith, but first, let me give a few generic answers for you to consider and possibly act on. 

First off, you may not be the right person to talk to your adult child about their faith life – or lack thereof. On the other hand, you might be just the person. I recommend determining whether you think you are this person or not. Be objective, keeping in mind that, unfortunately, your adult child may not want to listen to you. Objectivity, not subjectivity, is key to making this distinction. As their parent, you want them to “get it,” but it’s not that simple. 

Secondly, there are lots of reasons why people leave the faith. However, I have never come across a person who knew that the Catholic Church was the fullness of the truth and willingly left. This isn’t to say that there’s someone out there like this, but it’s unlikely. The important thing to keep in mind here is that knowing and loving are two separate things. It is simply not enough for someone to have head-knowledge of the person of Jesus and never come into a loving relationship with Him. The loving relationship with Christ comes from a conversion, or turning away from our sinful ways, and turning towards God. Conversion may be the farthest thing in your son’s mind. You can’t make the conversion take place, but you can be like St. Augustine’s mother, St. Monica, who was relentless in her prayer, suffering, penance and example for her son. What she was successful at was knowing her role in the necessary conversion of her son, who was far worse than your son, and who became a doctor of the Church. 

Next, if his catechesis (knowledge of, understanding of and reasoning for the faith) is poor, there won’t be a compelling-enough reason to go to Mass. If his catechesis is poor, it means that Mass isn’t about receiving the Eucharist, the greatest gift God could have ever given to us, His people, but that Mass is an obligation that takes time and energy. Mass in the latter case becomes tedious and boring, something merely to check off a list and not something that is viewed as a privilege and an honor. This is the way that many “fallen away” Catholics view Mass. They were never taught the WHY, only the WHAT. The WHAT never suffices in and of itself. 

There is most likely a disconnect somewhere for him. It is quite possible that you did a lot of great things raising your son and for some personal reason, he is choosing to abandon his faith – the faith you want so badly for him to possess. It is also quite possible that he doesn’t have a foundational understanding of the WHY of our faith and therefore doesn’t believe that the faith is practical, and that emotionally it’s easier to live a godless life than to deal with all the outdated rules, for example. If we, as parents, don’t know, love and live our faith, why should we ever expect our children to? He may have gone to Catholic school all his life, or been in every CCD class your parish offered. That’s not enough because true conversion hasn’t taken place yet. 

We all need role models to emulate. There’s a man in your son’s life that is a faithful Catholic man, that “has it all,” that loves life, that cherishes his wife, that is a man’s man and that your son trusts. Depending on this man, either suggest to your son to go and speak with him, or invite the man to engage your son in conversation. I am willing to bet that in order for your son to go through the necessary steps for true conversion, that a real relationship is going to be an absolute must. This trustworthy man could be just the thing your son needs. It will take time. 

The reason I came back to the faith had nothing to do with my family, it had everything to do with joy. I was on my college campus, an anti-Catholic, Evangelical, sola-scriptura Christian. I fought with people about the faith, I pushed the faith aside and I hated Catholicism. Soon, my life turned to despair, hopelessness and was riddled with doubt. I looked around at all the people who I considered to be my friends and they all had something I wanted. They had joy, in the deepest sense of the word. Their joy caused me to rethink everything I had turned away from. I went on a long journey and through their example, returned to the vibrant faith that I now know and love. 

Keep the faith and pray that your son will have a conversion and come to understand and love the faith which we hold so dear. Blessings, Dave.

Examples Are All Around

September 22, 2009 by  
Filed under Blog

There are examples of what not to do all around us.  The idea of cultural manliness (this ideology that the more money, power, sex and stuff I have, the more manly I’ll be) is completely absurd.  This idea is rampant, yet many times, we’re so desensitized to its ugly face, that we hardly even notice it.  I noticed it today…  I snagged this post from Facebook today.  It’s quite simple, and best explained directly from the picture.  Please note, my red circular marks direct your attention to the parts that are most important, and quite honestly, most appalling.

I’m not sure if this guy just wants to fit in or what, but his comment is ridiculous and the words written in the description are horrible too.  See for yourself.

Cultural Manliness Example

Man up!

"Life: Imagine the Possibilities"

May 11, 2009 by  
Filed under Blog

Check out this video from CatholicVote.com.  Grassroots Films does a great job with these videos.  It gets a great message out and does it through uncompromising, yet non-aggressive tactics.  This is an example for all of us who support and are part of the pro-life movement.  Check it out.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIBZ-kJ6XAc]

Man up!

Celebrity Apprentice – Season 2

March 2, 2009 by  
Filed under Blog

Are you familiar with Donald Trump?  The multi-billionaire business man that created the show “The Apprentice”.  Although he’s very good at what he does in business, he’s not the example of TrueManhood.  He’s at it again, this time season two of Celebrity Apprentice.  This show has been getting some big press and, as in years past, gains traction throughout the season.  Season two started last night, although I didn’t watch it, I found this commercial clip for it.  Watch…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90zttzBDhZs]

I can’t begin to count the bad examples of manhood throughout the show… I can’t even keep up with them in this short one minute promo.  Clint Black is “ready to go the wild side”, Pierce Morgan (altough he proclaims to be a Catholic-family man) is a crude, rude, pompous, arrogant man.  Don’t even get me started on Rodman or Andrew Dice Clay.  Tom Green is “stabbing people in the back”, and wearing wedding dresses on the street corner.  We hear Trump say, as he flies around in his private helicopter, “It’s all about fighting for what you believe in.”  I’m not sure what any of these celebrities believe in.

The show isn’t horrible, overall, as most of the money that is raised goes to (mostly) worthy charities.  So, there’s at least one good part to it.  It’s not at all what TrueManhood is about.  If you can stomach it, watch an episode on nbc.com and see what you think.  Are any of these men setting an example of TrueManhood or are they fulfilling society’s idea of “cultural manliness”?  You decide.

Man up!

 

Lenten Devotion – Selflessness

March 1, 2009 by  
Filed under Faith

Christ carrying His crossWe took an amazing trip to San Luis, Colorado yesterday.  There, among the high-desert plain and the rock-covered mountains, stands the Shrine to the Stations of the Cross.  It’s a marvelous experience, hiking up the mountain side, following the footsteps of Jesus; from his death-sentencing until He resurrects from the tomb.  We had a group of 34 people, led by Fr Joe and Deacon Bob. 

As we walked the rocky ground, contemplating the weight of the cross beam on Jesus’ shredded back (shredded from the scourging at the pillar),I was in awe of just how difficult Christ’s journey must have been.  And while contemplating the journey, I realized that I’m simply not selfless enough.  He gave everything for me (and you), yet, I’m still prone to selfish desires and self-serving interests. 

The culture wants men to believe that it’s all about them; their needs, their desires.  That a man can plow through any innocent bystander if they impede his progress of attaining his goal(s).  Get get get, take take take – never worrying about taking anyone out along the way.   Being self-serving is actually self-reliance, self-defense and self-preservation – they say.  In reality, a man should be self-denying, self-sacrificing and self-giving.  He is called to attend to the needs of others before his own.  He is called to defend, protect and build up, even if it means blood, sweat and tears.  A True Man follows Christ’s example.

Christ Crucified - the ultimate sacrifice

Man up!

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