I am a self admitted football addict. I play in two fantasy leagues and religiously watch every game I can on Sunday and Monday. My wife can attest to this fact. I never used to be this way, at least not when I was younger, and I began to wonder why ive changed so much. Finally it dawned on me while I was watching last nights game. The game of football appeals to my masculinity on a very deep level. Aside from the entertainment value, this game invokes my inner warrior. To watch men run, hit, dive, tackle, inflict pain and have a desire to win excites me, and makes me envious that I'm not involved. And on the rare occasions that I get to play in a semi organized game on the weekend or whatever it is pure ecstasy.
This is the reason I believe most men watch, compete in and obsess over sports. And even more important, this is what men were made to do. Not play baseball I mean, but use our bodies and strength and desire to win for the glory of God. He carefully designed man and woman to be function specific. Our bodies, our minds and emotional tendencies are engineered for tasks that we no longer choose to engage in within our culture.
For example, women are made to carry, birth, care for and raise children; that's it. JUST KIDDING! They are also great home administrators, compassionate and emotionally engaged nurturers. They are exhorters and conversational comforters, and that makes them great friends to have. And my personal favorite, their bodies were made to make men drop what they are doing and pay attention. But now in our upside down, feminist and broken world women are told to deny that calling and focus on competing with men. They are told to be successful administrators in the office and that the home is for weak suckers, and that children are an unnecessary burden. Oh and that men are the enemy. And now, if you follow statistics, women are more objectified, devalued and depressed than ever before.
Living a life that was not intended for us, will destroy us. This is true both for our physical bodies and our spirits. So, men, I urge you, If you work at a desk or if you are idle for most of the day, do something at least a couple of times a week that make you use the body God gave you as he intended you to use it. Be the leaders of your house and dont abuse your strength. We are warriors and protectors, and we were given a heart for our decaying world.
Ladies, use your gifts to make a successful family and home. Be the great caring friends that you naturally are. And use your words to build and strengthen the men in your lives. Sometimes I dont think that women know how much they impact the effectiveness of the men around them.
Most of all, find your confidence in God, and find your meaning in loving others deeply in every aspect of life. Make sure your actions are those that make your soul feel good and clean.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
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3 comments:
Casey, I just wanted to add my 2 cents worth about women....I agreed with everything you said. It reminded me of something John Eldridge wrote in "Captivating".
'Women are warriors too. Redeemed women of God have tender, merciful hearts, backbones of steel and hands that have been trained for battle. There is something incredibly fierce in the heart of a woman that is to be contended with, not dismissed, not disdained, but recognized , honored, welcomed and trained.'
Let me try this again! Many women do not have a man to rise up on their behalf. They may have a passive husband, be single, divorced or widowed. Spiritual warfare is one of the ways we grow in Christ. It strengthens us, draws us closer to Christ and trains us for the future. He wants us to know how to take a stand and how to fight. He did not create women to be helpless creatures. God has given us a fierceness that is holy and is to be used on behalf of others. "Captivating, 195-196"
Husbands need to know their wives know how to fight the enemy on their behalf! The Bible is full of women who knew their authority as women of God....Deborah, Esther, Jael, for starters :)
I am proud of you for being a man that stands and defends his home and his family. And you have a fiesty wife who stands beside you to war with you!
I use Irish Spring soap. Does that make me manly enough . . . wait, it's body wash, nevermind.
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