A man who says “I’m not going to die on that hill” but never fights on any hill is not a man you can trust to fight for anything that really matters.
Burke Parsons
A man who says “I’m not going to die on that hill” but never fights on any hill is not a man you can trust to fight for anything that really matters.
Burke Parsons
A few years my time as a White Ribbon Ambassador it is very sad and concerning that sexual abuse continues. Rather than point to a single group, the issue of sexual abuse and violence toward women is a widespread cultural issue that will not be resolved by just “educating” men to be be better men. Or women marching and shouting at men and berating men for “toxic masculinity”.
Instead the solutions lay in the bedrock of our society, the family unit and the way that men and women raise their children.
Unfortunately the secularization of modern society is at the root cause of these and other social problems as modern society has abandoned the Christian values which were once the guiding principles by which we live. For those who have no exposure to Christian values think on these points:
God provides the personal values that we should reach for:
Then with that the institutions that bring guidance and foundation to our society:
And so the list goes on …
But it is not merely following a set of rules, Christianity is a transformational faith. Confess your sins and accept Jesus as Lord. Make every thought captive to Christ. And live the precepts of the love chapter 1 Corinthians 13.
The great disease of the modern era is not Trans vs Women debate or Gender Identity crises.
The disease that has beset us all is the inability to dialog at all. To debate and argue and agree or disagree. This is nature of a true civil society. Where words offend, say so, argue succinctly why, seek to enlighten others about how they offend.
And should the offender apologise, accept it with dignity not abuse. But if they don’t rise to a higher place and use the words of another sacrificial lamb “forgive them for they know not what they do”.
But to cancel the offender, to have them sacked from positions, to have their lectures, books, blogs, websites blocked because they offend one group but are cheered by another group is not the path of democracy but a repetition of the evils of the past. Cite Marxism, Cite Nazism, Cite the CCP, Cite Pol Pot.
And finally, whatever position you take on these challenging questions of philosophy, find a new cause in 2022
… be a better person and “Be Kind to one another”. Ephesians 4:32
The Real Men Challenge manual is focused on the Love Chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 as a template to help men in their relationships and provide insight and guidance for a world where family violence has become an epidemic.
“Love… it always protects …” 1 Corinthians 13:7
The Love Chapter says “Love Always Protects”. Here are some thoughts on that theme.
True love is a sacrificial love.
Jesus said: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13
So question, men, what are laying down in your life to protect your relationship.
What positive steps are you taking to fulfil the challenges of “Love … always protects.”
Protecting is not control. Who put you in charge anyway? Protecting is a partnership but for men, here are some guidance as to what non-controlling protection looks like in your love relationship.
One of the best books on managing fianances that my wife and I read and use is “The Barefoot Investor” by Scott Pape. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Proverbs 15:22
What else in your life do you need to protect?
I hope that these thoughts will provoke self reflection and discussion in your home as you live out “Love … always protects.”
An addendum to my Father’s Day thoughts:
Good Dads are Spiritual Leaders
Good Dads are Leaders in their Homes
Good Dads are Leaders in their Community
Good Dads are Prophetic Leaders
Good Dads are Leaders in being Healthy
Each of these points need exploring in depth and self examination. How am I doing in each of these areas of life. I know that in some of these I fall short but being able to be self-reflective and seeing my own shortcomings allows me to try and improve and provide that example to my family and others.