"The heart of the Lover never gets to awaken or develop in a man so long as he rejects the heart, chooses to remain in the world or analysis, dissection, and 'reason is everything.' The Lover is wounded in a man (often starting in his youth) when he looks to the woman for that primary love and validation his father was meant to bestow. It is often wounded deeply through the breakup of a young love affair. And it is wounded when he has a sexual encounter far too soon."
No stage is without its wounds, and as we saw in the last post, perhaps the greatest pain can be known here. When a man looks for validation from a woman that was never given to him by his father, there is wounding. When a man is focused more on the love of a woman than the love of God, there is wounding. And when a man engages in sexual intimacy, without the covenant of marriage, there is wounding. I think all three of these are caused by, and therefore can be softened, by a good, godly, father.
If a father treats his son as a Beloved Son, he has that validation and answer to his question. He has an identity that he can take into a relationship as a foundation. If a father has taught his son to love and serve God as a Cowboy, his Warriors heart will be focused on developing deep intimacy with God as he becomes a Lover. And when there is heartbreak, it will be seen from the eyes of "This just wasn't God's will." And if he has developed the heart of a Warrior, and a passion for living for God's truth and holiness, he will value and respect the standard of righteous sexuality.
"There are many reasons a man shies away from the world of the heart and from his own heart. It might be that he is shamed when he tries to go there by a father who thinks that art, creativity, and beauty 'are girl's stuff.' Thus, to him, the heart is a source of pain and embarrassment. He thinks a man cannot be a true man and live from the heart. It may be that he has simply never been invited to know his own heart."
How often are boys told to suck it up and not cry? From very young they are taught to show no emotion, because emotion is a sign of weakness. How often is a boy encouraged to follow his dreams? Or is he given a path that he needs to follow so his dad can live vicariously? Or is responsibility forced on him to the point where passion is buried and forgotten? We must teach our sons to be warrior poets. They must be encouraged to explore the arts, and above all, pursue what they are most passionate about. If they live from a heart of passion, they will be fully alive, and have so much to offer.
"No woman can satisfy this longing in a man's heart, and no good woman wants to try. When he makes her the center of his universe, it feels romantic for a while, but then the planets start to collide. It's not a big enough romance. He will find his heart awakening again when he opens his heart to God, and through he might have to journey there for a season, he'll find he has something to offer his woman again."
This stage is primarily about God, but so many have a misplaced focus. The best times of my marriage have been the times I have been closest to God. Those are the times I've had so much to offer my wife, so much love and affection. The more love I receive from God, the more I have to give to her. And the more I learn about how God loves me, and how to love Him, the more I know how to love my wife. The more I invest in God, the more I have to offer my wife.
"Finally, there are those of us who had sexual experiences before our wedding nights, and I've never met a man for whom the fruit of that was good."
I am blessed to not fall into that category. Sex is something incredible that God has given us. In the act of sex you have a man and a woman coming together as one, and working to create life. There is tremendous power there, and I know it's become cliché but, "With great power, comes great responsibility." In marriage, the two halves of God's heart, man and woman, come together and become one, physically, through sexual intimacy. Without the covenant of marriage the image is shattered and corrupted. And the intimacy between husband and wife is lost because it has been shared with others. God gave us a tremendous gift, which when exercised correctly, is an act of worship.
"Many men who would come alive as a Lover feel stuck, their hearts pinned down long ago through some heartbreak. So it would be good to pray: Father, God, awaken the Lover in me. Stir my heart. Romance me... Show me where I have chosen safety over and against coming alive. Show me where deep repentance needs to take place. Heal the Lover heart in me. Awaken me."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 10: Lover, part 3
"Having said all this, we can now speak of falling in love with a woman. We must. For God has said a man's life is not good without her (Gen. 2:18), so no matter how bold an adventurer or brave a warrior, the man is not living as a man should live unless he makes room for a woman in his life. And, in most cases at this stage, it usually is a woman who comes to awaken the heart of a man."
Yes, this stage, as with every other part of the journey, is primarily about God. Ultimately our deepest relationship is to be with Him. But we must remember a key fact; man does not bear the full image of God. In Genesis 1 we read that, "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (verse 27). It is only when a man and a woman come together in a marriage covenant that they form the full image of God. Both halves are unique and incomplete without the other.
I remember my first full time ministry assignment. I had a job in my field, and I was having some good success. I was able to have some adventures, but there was something missing, I was single. It wasn't that I needed a wife, but something was incomplete and I knew she was missing. Battle and adventure can't take the place of beauty. And God Himself said that man shouldn't be alone. We were created for intimacy in a human relationship; oneness that mirrors the relationship God desires with each of us. And it is in marriage that I have learned more about who God is, and how He loves me. And all of those lessons would be impossible without my wife.
"The awakening of his heart is essential if a man would truly love a woman. Look at things from her point of view. What does she long for in a man? Every little girl dreams of the day her prince will come... He pursues her, wins her heart, takes her into a great adventure and love story. And notice - what is the great sorrow of every woman in a disappointing marriage? Isn't it that he no longer pursues, no longer romances her? Life has been reduced to function and problem solving. What she longs for is what you are meant to become."
My wife sees me in ways I don't see myself yet, and she longs for me to be the man she sees. I remember when we first started dating I pursued her like my life depended on it. Two years of marriage, a beating from the Church, and being knocked around by life, and don’t' really feel like a man, and don't feel like I know how to pursue her any more. It isn't her; she's just as beautiful and captivating as ever. I want to be the man she desires, and sees. I want to be the Lover she deserves. There is so much working to destroy this, and prevent this. And this is why it is crucial for a man to be a Warrior first, so that he can endure the battle to rescue her.
"So when it comes to loving a woman, the great divide lies between men as Lovers and men as Consumers. Does he seek her out, long for her, because really he yearns for her to meet some need in his life - a need for validation (she makes him feel like a man), or mercy, or simply sexual gratification? That man is a Consumer... The Lover, on the other hand, wants to fight for her - he wants to protect her, make her life better, wants to fill her heart in every way he can. It is no chore for him to bring flowers, or music, spend hours talking together. Having his own heart awakened, he wants to know and love and free her heart."
Which one are you? I've met a lot of guys who fall into the Consumer group, and a lot of woman who have been consumed by them. Lovers are few and far between. And again, it takes a Warrior to be a Lover. It takes a man who knows how to put his life on the line for something greater than himself. It takes a man who knows how to sacrifice. And above all, it takes a man who is willing to risk everything.
"Of course the stage of the Lover brings with it great pain and suffering, because we are speaking of the heart, and the heart, as we all know, is vulnerable like nothing else. Resilient, thank God, but vulnerable. The heights of joy this stage ushers in are greater than any other, but with them comes the potential for sorrow as deep as the heights are high. That is why he must be a Warrior, and that is why he must find his greatest love in God."
God is constant. Even with a wife who is completely faithful, there is still the separation of death. This past year my wife and I went through a potential cancer scare, and for days I thought "What happens if I lose her?" There will be pain in marriage, its two imperfect people coming together. And there will be pain as a man searches for his wife. And that is why this stage is primarily about God. A man's first, and deepest love, must be God. That relationship shapes all others, especially a marriage.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Yes, this stage, as with every other part of the journey, is primarily about God. Ultimately our deepest relationship is to be with Him. But we must remember a key fact; man does not bear the full image of God. In Genesis 1 we read that, "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (verse 27). It is only when a man and a woman come together in a marriage covenant that they form the full image of God. Both halves are unique and incomplete without the other.
I remember my first full time ministry assignment. I had a job in my field, and I was having some good success. I was able to have some adventures, but there was something missing, I was single. It wasn't that I needed a wife, but something was incomplete and I knew she was missing. Battle and adventure can't take the place of beauty. And God Himself said that man shouldn't be alone. We were created for intimacy in a human relationship; oneness that mirrors the relationship God desires with each of us. And it is in marriage that I have learned more about who God is, and how He loves me. And all of those lessons would be impossible without my wife.
"The awakening of his heart is essential if a man would truly love a woman. Look at things from her point of view. What does she long for in a man? Every little girl dreams of the day her prince will come... He pursues her, wins her heart, takes her into a great adventure and love story. And notice - what is the great sorrow of every woman in a disappointing marriage? Isn't it that he no longer pursues, no longer romances her? Life has been reduced to function and problem solving. What she longs for is what you are meant to become."
My wife sees me in ways I don't see myself yet, and she longs for me to be the man she sees. I remember when we first started dating I pursued her like my life depended on it. Two years of marriage, a beating from the Church, and being knocked around by life, and don’t' really feel like a man, and don't feel like I know how to pursue her any more. It isn't her; she's just as beautiful and captivating as ever. I want to be the man she desires, and sees. I want to be the Lover she deserves. There is so much working to destroy this, and prevent this. And this is why it is crucial for a man to be a Warrior first, so that he can endure the battle to rescue her.
"So when it comes to loving a woman, the great divide lies between men as Lovers and men as Consumers. Does he seek her out, long for her, because really he yearns for her to meet some need in his life - a need for validation (she makes him feel like a man), or mercy, or simply sexual gratification? That man is a Consumer... The Lover, on the other hand, wants to fight for her - he wants to protect her, make her life better, wants to fill her heart in every way he can. It is no chore for him to bring flowers, or music, spend hours talking together. Having his own heart awakened, he wants to know and love and free her heart."
Which one are you? I've met a lot of guys who fall into the Consumer group, and a lot of woman who have been consumed by them. Lovers are few and far between. And again, it takes a Warrior to be a Lover. It takes a man who knows how to put his life on the line for something greater than himself. It takes a man who knows how to sacrifice. And above all, it takes a man who is willing to risk everything.
"Of course the stage of the Lover brings with it great pain and suffering, because we are speaking of the heart, and the heart, as we all know, is vulnerable like nothing else. Resilient, thank God, but vulnerable. The heights of joy this stage ushers in are greater than any other, but with them comes the potential for sorrow as deep as the heights are high. That is why he must be a Warrior, and that is why he must find his greatest love in God."
God is constant. Even with a wife who is completely faithful, there is still the separation of death. This past year my wife and I went through a potential cancer scare, and for days I thought "What happens if I lose her?" There will be pain in marriage, its two imperfect people coming together. And there will be pain as a man searches for his wife. And that is why this stage is primarily about God. A man's first, and deepest love, must be God. That relationship shapes all others, especially a marriage.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 10: Lover, part 2
"We've heart ad infititum that men are rational beings, along with the supporting evidence that our brains work differently than do women's, and that is true. Spatial abstractions, logic, analysis - men tend to excel in these because we are more left- than right-brained, and the commissural fibers that connect the two hemispheres appear in women in ratios far higher than in men. Women have an interstate uniting both sides of their brains. Men have a game trail. Thus men tend to compartmentalize, a capacity that allows men to handle the atrocities of war, and administrate justice. It also makes them excellent chess players and auto mechanics. And yet ... I don't buy it. Too many men hide behind reason and logic. A man must grow beyond mere reason, or he will be stunted as a man, certainly as a Lover. No woman wants to be analyzed, and many marriages fail because the man insists on treating her as a problem to be solved, rather than a mystery to be known and loved."
Plain and simple, to be whole and complete, we have to embrace something beyond reason. We have to realize there will be things we can't figure out, or even explain. There will be times we will be speechless, and remain speechless. And we have to be ok with the mystery and wonder of the unknown. To some degree, we must lose ourselves in it. There are so many things in life that are beyond understanding, and so many more in faith.
"The Lover is awakened when a man comes to see that the poetic is far truer than the propositional and the analytical, and whatever physiology might say, I've seen it happen in many men." As I read this I kept thinking back to my college Theology class. Back then I wanted to be a pastor more than anything, I wanted to get out into a church and start changing the world. I had a great professor, one of the wisest and most passionate men I've ever met, and yet more often than not, during class I found myself looking out the window at on open field and the woods that surrounded it.
At this point in college I had experienced God personally, and, not meaning to sound proud, in ways many church goers have never imagined. I wasn't really interested in man's study about God; I wanted to know God personally. I would much rather have been out in that field with my Bible than in a class. And if I'm perfectly honest, I don't remember the last time I used anything from Theology class in real life. But the personal experiences I've had with God in the woods, or late night prayer sessions, those are the stories I share.
I'm not saying anything against education or the study of Theology, but again, let's think about which one I've used more, and which one had a deeper impact on me. "For that which draws us to the heart of God is that which often first lifts our own hearts above the mundane, awakens longing and desire. And it is that life, my brothers, the life of your heart, that God is most keenly after."
What would you rather have, a head knowledge of God, filled with words most of the people alive today can't understand, or a personal relationship, rooted in personal experiences with Him? What would you rather your children have? And it is here that we come to perhaps the point of not just the masculine journey, but of life overall. We are to be "not merely a Christian, but something more - a lover of God."
The point of this journey is not for us to be moral men, or really nice guys. We've looked at this countless times over the past few months. No boy aspires to that. But the point is for us to be powerful and dangerous men who passionately love God. Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 16.13-14, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." Power, strength passion. We are to be Warrior poets. This is what God is after.
"I began to realize that he cared for my heart. God was pursuing me ... wooing me. My pursuit of beauty had turned around on me. It had become God's pursuit of me." This happened to me. When I first started college I was like just about every other religion major I've ever met, cocky, thinking I had it all figured out. Fortunately for me, I was one that God go a hold of (sadly not all of them can say this). As I was trying to gain the knowledge I would need to lead a Church, which for me at the beginning was just fine tuning a skill set, God was at work. It took a little over two years, but finally He got through to me. I don't have time to tell the story here, but when I finally woke up, God began to speak to me, and show me things about Him that I never knew a person needed to think about.
"A lover has been awakened by the Great Romancer. At this stage a man's relationship with God opens a new frontier. While in other realms God will remain Father, and Initiator, when the Lover begins to emerge God invites the man to become his 'intimate one.' This is the crucial stage. The danger for the Warrior is that life becomes defined by battle, and that is not good for the soul nor is it true to our story, for there is something deeper than battle and that, my friends, is Romance."
There is a scene from Secondhand Lions that I keep thinking about. Hub, Walter's uncle, is found every night out by the pond on their property, sleep walking. Garth, his brother tells Walter one night that he's "Looking for her. Jasmine." As the story unfolds we learn of the true love, the deep passion these two shared, but Garth refuses to tell Walter what happened to her. One night, out by the water, Walter wakes Hub up and asks him. He tells her "She died. Died in child birth. Her and the baby." Walter, knowing the love the two shared asks, as he fights back tears, "What did you do?" His reply, "I went back to the only life I knew, back to the Legion. For the next forty years there was always one more war to fight. Then I got old and came here. Here I am." Without beauty, there is nothing but battle, and you can only fight for so long. As the movie unfolds we see that Hub is restless, and searching for the next adventure, because there is no beauty in his life.
We were made for love and beauty. We were made for something more than just a head knowledge, ritualistic religion. We were made for a passionate relationship with God. "Ours is a love story. Anything short of it is a Christianity of dry bones."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Plain and simple, to be whole and complete, we have to embrace something beyond reason. We have to realize there will be things we can't figure out, or even explain. There will be times we will be speechless, and remain speechless. And we have to be ok with the mystery and wonder of the unknown. To some degree, we must lose ourselves in it. There are so many things in life that are beyond understanding, and so many more in faith.
"The Lover is awakened when a man comes to see that the poetic is far truer than the propositional and the analytical, and whatever physiology might say, I've seen it happen in many men." As I read this I kept thinking back to my college Theology class. Back then I wanted to be a pastor more than anything, I wanted to get out into a church and start changing the world. I had a great professor, one of the wisest and most passionate men I've ever met, and yet more often than not, during class I found myself looking out the window at on open field and the woods that surrounded it.
At this point in college I had experienced God personally, and, not meaning to sound proud, in ways many church goers have never imagined. I wasn't really interested in man's study about God; I wanted to know God personally. I would much rather have been out in that field with my Bible than in a class. And if I'm perfectly honest, I don't remember the last time I used anything from Theology class in real life. But the personal experiences I've had with God in the woods, or late night prayer sessions, those are the stories I share.
I'm not saying anything against education or the study of Theology, but again, let's think about which one I've used more, and which one had a deeper impact on me. "For that which draws us to the heart of God is that which often first lifts our own hearts above the mundane, awakens longing and desire. And it is that life, my brothers, the life of your heart, that God is most keenly after."
What would you rather have, a head knowledge of God, filled with words most of the people alive today can't understand, or a personal relationship, rooted in personal experiences with Him? What would you rather your children have? And it is here that we come to perhaps the point of not just the masculine journey, but of life overall. We are to be "not merely a Christian, but something more - a lover of God."
The point of this journey is not for us to be moral men, or really nice guys. We've looked at this countless times over the past few months. No boy aspires to that. But the point is for us to be powerful and dangerous men who passionately love God. Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 16.13-14, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." Power, strength passion. We are to be Warrior poets. This is what God is after.
"I began to realize that he cared for my heart. God was pursuing me ... wooing me. My pursuit of beauty had turned around on me. It had become God's pursuit of me." This happened to me. When I first started college I was like just about every other religion major I've ever met, cocky, thinking I had it all figured out. Fortunately for me, I was one that God go a hold of (sadly not all of them can say this). As I was trying to gain the knowledge I would need to lead a Church, which for me at the beginning was just fine tuning a skill set, God was at work. It took a little over two years, but finally He got through to me. I don't have time to tell the story here, but when I finally woke up, God began to speak to me, and show me things about Him that I never knew a person needed to think about.
"A lover has been awakened by the Great Romancer. At this stage a man's relationship with God opens a new frontier. While in other realms God will remain Father, and Initiator, when the Lover begins to emerge God invites the man to become his 'intimate one.' This is the crucial stage. The danger for the Warrior is that life becomes defined by battle, and that is not good for the soul nor is it true to our story, for there is something deeper than battle and that, my friends, is Romance."
There is a scene from Secondhand Lions that I keep thinking about. Hub, Walter's uncle, is found every night out by the pond on their property, sleep walking. Garth, his brother tells Walter one night that he's "Looking for her. Jasmine." As the story unfolds we learn of the true love, the deep passion these two shared, but Garth refuses to tell Walter what happened to her. One night, out by the water, Walter wakes Hub up and asks him. He tells her "She died. Died in child birth. Her and the baby." Walter, knowing the love the two shared asks, as he fights back tears, "What did you do?" His reply, "I went back to the only life I knew, back to the Legion. For the next forty years there was always one more war to fight. Then I got old and came here. Here I am." Without beauty, there is nothing but battle, and you can only fight for so long. As the movie unfolds we see that Hub is restless, and searching for the next adventure, because there is no beauty in his life.
We were made for love and beauty. We were made for something more than just a head knowledge, ritualistic religion. We were made for a passionate relationship with God. "Ours is a love story. Anything short of it is a Christianity of dry bones."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Monday, October 28, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 10: Lover, part 1
It is natural, even easy at times, for a man to be a warrior. This characteristic is written deeply into our souls, and it is one that we long to play out from birth to death. But it is essential that we note that the stage of the Warrior is not where our journey ends. Yes, we will need to be warriors until the day we die, there will always be evil to battle, but we must continue to grow beyond the stage of Warrior. There is so much more in God's heart for us than to simply be soldiers who move from one battle to the next. "The great danger for the Warrior is not defeat, but success... We must not let the battle become everything."
There is more to life than battle and hardship. There is more to life than training and trials. There is also great beauty, and we must make sure we take time to soak it all in. "Now we come to a fork in the road in the masculine journey, a stage that is both essential and, sadly, often overlooked and bypassed by many a man. The stage of the Lover. By this I do not primarily mean that time in a young man's life when he falls in love with a girl. Though that is part of it, I don't believe it is the core of the stage or even its ultimate expression. I do hope that there will be a girl in the picture, and that she turns his world upside down. Eve is God's glorious intrusion into the world of Cowboys and Warriors, for nothing, absolutely nothing, disrupts like Eve, and she is meant to change their lives forever. However, there are movements in the young man's soul that would be best to take place before Eve steps into the picture, movements that often do take place but go unrecognized until she is there."
This stage, as we will see, is not primarily about a woman, it is crucial that we clarify that right at the beginning. This stage is about something so much greater. It's about God. This is about coming to a deeper, more passionate, and more intimate knowledge of and relationship with God. With each step of the journey we grow and mature, and with this maturity comes an ability to know and understand more about who God is. And as we understand Him more, we see more clearly who He really is. We begin to see His beauty, and are captivated by it.
"As we think over the stages of the masculine journey, we find that the boy begins to understand Good as he learns fight from wrong, and the Warrior fights for what is True, but when a man comes to see that the Beautiful is the best of the three, then is the Lover awakened... Awakening with his passion for a battle you will often find another longing emerging, a longing for ... he knows not what. An ache, often expressed in music, or perhaps poetry, a film or a book that stirs him like never before. his soul is undergoing a sort of second birth. He begins to notice. Sees moonlight on water for the very first time. Is stopped by certain movements in a song he loves. Pauses to realize that a snowflake or a flower is really altogether amazing... Now yes, it is often aroused by a woman... Woman is the personification of Beauty, and it often takes her to turn the young man's attention from adventure and battle, 'turn his head,' as the phrase has it, and his heart comes along for the turning, too... But often the awakening comes in the world of Nature, especially if the young man has been allowed a generous season in the Cowboy stage."
Has it happened for you? When? For me I think it really began in high school during a hunting trips. You begin to take in the sounds of the woods before anything is awake, and then when everything comes to life. In the spring you see the flowers and trees budding, in the fall there is color everywhere. Even in winter, when everything seems to be dead, the sparkle of sunlight on the snow is incredible. I've had the chance to watch some incredible sunrises and sunsets from the Pyramids and Delphi, the Sea of Galilee, and the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, as well as the Kokosing River and Lake Erie. Nature is full of so much beauty.
And then, of course, you have to think about the woman. She is after all, the half of God's image that captures His beauty most clearly for us on earth. I'll never forget the first time I saw my wife, though it would be three years before we had our first date. I walked down the stairs of my on campus apartment, and she was sitting on the couch in our living room. She had her hair pulled back, and glasses on. And she looked stunning, which is funny because in college she really didn't try to look good (just a testament to her beauty). We lost touch once she graduated, but in September of 2010 she reached out to me, and I began to pursue her. We were married the following August. When I saw her enter the room on our wedding day, I couldn't breathe, and when her dad finally gave her to me all I was thinking was "I just want to stand here with her forever." I'll never forget that moment.
"This is very good for the Warrior, to be arrested by Beauty. It provides a great balance to his soul, lest he simply be a fighter. The Celts had a phrase, 'Never give a sword to a man who can't dance,' by which they meant if he is not also becoming a poet, be careful how much Warrior you allow a man to be." The line takes me the final moments of Brave Heart. You see men charging, and you hear the voice of William Wallace say, "In the year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland, starving and outnumbered, charged the fields of Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets. They fought like Scotsmen and they won their freedom." Early in the movie, after the funeral of Wallace's father and brother, he is seen with his uncle who allows him to hold his sword. He takes it back and tells him, "First learn to use this" pointing at his forehead, "then I'll teach you to use this" and holds up his sword.
There must be more to a man than the ability to fight, there must be a deep love and value for what is beautiful. We are more than Warriors; we must be Warrior Poets, Lovers of beauty.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
There is more to life than battle and hardship. There is more to life than training and trials. There is also great beauty, and we must make sure we take time to soak it all in. "Now we come to a fork in the road in the masculine journey, a stage that is both essential and, sadly, often overlooked and bypassed by many a man. The stage of the Lover. By this I do not primarily mean that time in a young man's life when he falls in love with a girl. Though that is part of it, I don't believe it is the core of the stage or even its ultimate expression. I do hope that there will be a girl in the picture, and that she turns his world upside down. Eve is God's glorious intrusion into the world of Cowboys and Warriors, for nothing, absolutely nothing, disrupts like Eve, and she is meant to change their lives forever. However, there are movements in the young man's soul that would be best to take place before Eve steps into the picture, movements that often do take place but go unrecognized until she is there."
This stage, as we will see, is not primarily about a woman, it is crucial that we clarify that right at the beginning. This stage is about something so much greater. It's about God. This is about coming to a deeper, more passionate, and more intimate knowledge of and relationship with God. With each step of the journey we grow and mature, and with this maturity comes an ability to know and understand more about who God is. And as we understand Him more, we see more clearly who He really is. We begin to see His beauty, and are captivated by it.
"As we think over the stages of the masculine journey, we find that the boy begins to understand Good as he learns fight from wrong, and the Warrior fights for what is True, but when a man comes to see that the Beautiful is the best of the three, then is the Lover awakened... Awakening with his passion for a battle you will often find another longing emerging, a longing for ... he knows not what. An ache, often expressed in music, or perhaps poetry, a film or a book that stirs him like never before. his soul is undergoing a sort of second birth. He begins to notice. Sees moonlight on water for the very first time. Is stopped by certain movements in a song he loves. Pauses to realize that a snowflake or a flower is really altogether amazing... Now yes, it is often aroused by a woman... Woman is the personification of Beauty, and it often takes her to turn the young man's attention from adventure and battle, 'turn his head,' as the phrase has it, and his heart comes along for the turning, too... But often the awakening comes in the world of Nature, especially if the young man has been allowed a generous season in the Cowboy stage."
Has it happened for you? When? For me I think it really began in high school during a hunting trips. You begin to take in the sounds of the woods before anything is awake, and then when everything comes to life. In the spring you see the flowers and trees budding, in the fall there is color everywhere. Even in winter, when everything seems to be dead, the sparkle of sunlight on the snow is incredible. I've had the chance to watch some incredible sunrises and sunsets from the Pyramids and Delphi, the Sea of Galilee, and the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, as well as the Kokosing River and Lake Erie. Nature is full of so much beauty.
And then, of course, you have to think about the woman. She is after all, the half of God's image that captures His beauty most clearly for us on earth. I'll never forget the first time I saw my wife, though it would be three years before we had our first date. I walked down the stairs of my on campus apartment, and she was sitting on the couch in our living room. She had her hair pulled back, and glasses on. And she looked stunning, which is funny because in college she really didn't try to look good (just a testament to her beauty). We lost touch once she graduated, but in September of 2010 she reached out to me, and I began to pursue her. We were married the following August. When I saw her enter the room on our wedding day, I couldn't breathe, and when her dad finally gave her to me all I was thinking was "I just want to stand here with her forever." I'll never forget that moment.
"This is very good for the Warrior, to be arrested by Beauty. It provides a great balance to his soul, lest he simply be a fighter. The Celts had a phrase, 'Never give a sword to a man who can't dance,' by which they meant if he is not also becoming a poet, be careful how much Warrior you allow a man to be." The line takes me the final moments of Brave Heart. You see men charging, and you hear the voice of William Wallace say, "In the year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland, starving and outnumbered, charged the fields of Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets. They fought like Scotsmen and they won their freedom." Early in the movie, after the funeral of Wallace's father and brother, he is seen with his uncle who allows him to hold his sword. He takes it back and tells him, "First learn to use this" pointing at his forehead, "then I'll teach you to use this" and holds up his sword.
There must be more to a man than the ability to fight, there must be a deep love and value for what is beautiful. We are more than Warriors; we must be Warrior Poets, Lovers of beauty.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Thursday, October 24, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 9: Raising the Warrior, part 7
Final post of this chapter, this has been a longer process than I initially thought it would be. But on the other hand, I believe the Warrior is predominately what every man is, and spending the most time here isn't a bad thing. In the previous section John shares a story about a friend who became the head of his company, which has brought on intense battles. He then says this, "Which reminds us that a King had better be a Warrior first, or else he will fold under the assault, or lead his people into passivity". Men, we must be warriors.
This chapter ends with a section titled, "Some Counsel from the Battlefield", and I feel like this is crucial information for all of us to keep in mind as we journey.
One Battle at a Time
"The enemy's first plan is to keep a man out of the battle altogether - through fear, or self-doubt, through bad theology or ignorance, through his wounds, or through the passivity we inherited from Adam. If that doesn't work (and it's worked with many a man), and a man rises up to be a Warrior, the enemy switches to dog pile. Bury you in battles. What he'll do is try to lure you into battles that aren't yours to fight. Be careful here - you don't want to take on every battle that comes your way... don't let yourself be lured into battles that aren't yours to fight, no matter how urgent they might seem... Ask Jesus, Do you want me to fight this? Get your orders from your King."
There are so many battles out there. There is so much corruption and injustice. It's too much for any one man to take down alone. We each have different gifts and passions, we have unique skills. We have to learn to pick our battles, and fight the enemy in front of us. The phalanx only works if each man does his part, and trusts his brothers to do theirs. If we try to take on everything, we'll fail, beat ourselves up, and be ineffective at everything. But if we get guidance and instruction from God, we'll see the battles He wants to use us for, and we'll be able to fight fully effective.
Fight Your Battles Once
"Don't fight your battles twice - once in worry and anticipation, and the second time when you actually enter into the event itself. Cross that bridge when you come to it, as the saying goes. This will require strength and resolve, resisting speculation, and it will strengthen the Warrior in you. It's another way of learning not to yield your heart - in this case, to worry and fretting."
When I first started wrestling, I got so nervous before matches. I couldn't sit down, couldn't do anything but think about it. It made me dread matches. But then something happened towards the end of my career, I stopped carrying about winning, and just focused on wrestling. Matches where fun, and I scored a ton of points. I actually looked forward to competition. It's easy to work ourselves up over something, but in the end it hurts our ability to combat it. We spend so much energy in anticipation that we go into battle drained and exhausted.
During any Important Event, Assume it's Warfare
"Treat it as such. And by 'important event,' I mean anything redemptive - a mission, or course, but also a source of joy like an anniversary. The enemy is out to steal your joy more than anything else."
I'm seeing this one right now. This morning on my walk with the dog I went to battle. Commanded Satan to flee and thanked God for the blessing my wife and I are receiving. Satan is after our joy all the time, and he'll twist something anyway he can to try and rob us of it. Don't let him steel the full enjoyment of God's blessings from you.
Resist it Quickly
"Don't let things get a foothold. However tired you may be, however distracted or inconvenient the moment, now is the time to fight...'for the enemy is then more easily overcome, if he is not suffered to enter the door of our hearts, but is resisted at the first knock.' Don't kid yourself, saying, 'I'll deal with this later.'... When you pray, or resist, or act decisively in the moments you least want to, the Warrior in you is strengthened. Next time you'll be even stronger."
The enemy attacks when he feels our guard is lowered, so keep it up. As soon as you feel the attack, drop into a fighting stance and defend yourself. Don't allow him to get inside your guard, and definitely don't allow him to come into camp and make himself at home by the fire. As soon as you feel the attack fight back. The enemy is a coward and usually won't stay long in a battle he's sure not to win. So strike quickly and push him back.
You won't Feel Like a Warrior
In the midst of battle, you will often feel confused, disoriented, perhaps overwhelmed, troubled with self-doubt. You will certainly feel the spirits that are present, and they will try to make you believe it's you that is angry, or prideful, or whatever assaults you. Set your face like a flint. It will clear, eventually, and you will again feel the presence of God and who you truly are. In the midst of it, war is chaos."
Yeah, I feel that way, a lot. And that's how the enemy wants us to feel, like we're all alone, and in over our heads. But this is where we must remember first and foremost, that we are Beloved Sons of the Father who has commanded and promised "Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." War is chaotic, and so it is crucial that we know our identity before we get into it.
Stay with it
"It takes more than a single skirmish to win a battle, and a hate-filled enemy usually will not yield at a single swing from us. Keep at it. The enemy is testing your resolve. Show him that no matter how long it takes, you fully intend to win."
In the Warrior's code, there's no surrender. We stand our ground and come back with our shields, or on them. Victory or death are the only two choices. And we are well trained Warriors fighting on the side that cannot lose. Don't give up my brothers, persevere to victory.
It Will Make You Holy
"First, that holiness is your best weapon. Spiritual warfare will make you holy. Trust me...The battle we find ourselves in gives a whole new purpose to holiness. The call is not to 'be a moral man because it's decent.' The call is to 'become a holy man and a Warrior, for you are needed in the battle, and if you don not become that man, you will be taken out.'"
That's the goal, holiness, Christlikeness. We are told in the Romans 5.1-5 and in James 1.2-4, that trials and hardships are there to mold us into the image of Christ. Romans 8 tells us that all things work for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose (verse 28). In the following verses (29-30) we see that this purpose is for us to become like Christ and to be glorified with Christ. The only way for this to happen is through trial and hardship. Christ endured, and overcame them, and so must we. He is there with us to help us, and the more we endure, the more like Him we become.
"The recovery of the Warrior is absolutely crucial to the recovery of a man. All else rests on this, for you will have to fight, my brothers, for everything you desire and everything you hold dear in this world. Despite what you feel, or what you may have been told, you have a Warrior's heart, because you bear the image of God. And he will train you to become a great Warrior, if you'll let him."
Men, we are Warriors, and we are needed in battle, now more than ever. Take up your shield, stand beside me in the phalanx, and let's take back ground for the Kingdom. Let the Warrior's rise.
"Father, you are a great Warrior, and I am made in your image. I am your son, and a warrior too. Open my eyes to see how you have been developing the Warrior in me."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
This chapter ends with a section titled, "Some Counsel from the Battlefield", and I feel like this is crucial information for all of us to keep in mind as we journey.
One Battle at a Time
"The enemy's first plan is to keep a man out of the battle altogether - through fear, or self-doubt, through bad theology or ignorance, through his wounds, or through the passivity we inherited from Adam. If that doesn't work (and it's worked with many a man), and a man rises up to be a Warrior, the enemy switches to dog pile. Bury you in battles. What he'll do is try to lure you into battles that aren't yours to fight. Be careful here - you don't want to take on every battle that comes your way... don't let yourself be lured into battles that aren't yours to fight, no matter how urgent they might seem... Ask Jesus, Do you want me to fight this? Get your orders from your King."
There are so many battles out there. There is so much corruption and injustice. It's too much for any one man to take down alone. We each have different gifts and passions, we have unique skills. We have to learn to pick our battles, and fight the enemy in front of us. The phalanx only works if each man does his part, and trusts his brothers to do theirs. If we try to take on everything, we'll fail, beat ourselves up, and be ineffective at everything. But if we get guidance and instruction from God, we'll see the battles He wants to use us for, and we'll be able to fight fully effective.
Fight Your Battles Once
"Don't fight your battles twice - once in worry and anticipation, and the second time when you actually enter into the event itself. Cross that bridge when you come to it, as the saying goes. This will require strength and resolve, resisting speculation, and it will strengthen the Warrior in you. It's another way of learning not to yield your heart - in this case, to worry and fretting."
When I first started wrestling, I got so nervous before matches. I couldn't sit down, couldn't do anything but think about it. It made me dread matches. But then something happened towards the end of my career, I stopped carrying about winning, and just focused on wrestling. Matches where fun, and I scored a ton of points. I actually looked forward to competition. It's easy to work ourselves up over something, but in the end it hurts our ability to combat it. We spend so much energy in anticipation that we go into battle drained and exhausted.
During any Important Event, Assume it's Warfare
"Treat it as such. And by 'important event,' I mean anything redemptive - a mission, or course, but also a source of joy like an anniversary. The enemy is out to steal your joy more than anything else."
I'm seeing this one right now. This morning on my walk with the dog I went to battle. Commanded Satan to flee and thanked God for the blessing my wife and I are receiving. Satan is after our joy all the time, and he'll twist something anyway he can to try and rob us of it. Don't let him steel the full enjoyment of God's blessings from you.
Resist it Quickly
"Don't let things get a foothold. However tired you may be, however distracted or inconvenient the moment, now is the time to fight...'for the enemy is then more easily overcome, if he is not suffered to enter the door of our hearts, but is resisted at the first knock.' Don't kid yourself, saying, 'I'll deal with this later.'... When you pray, or resist, or act decisively in the moments you least want to, the Warrior in you is strengthened. Next time you'll be even stronger."
The enemy attacks when he feels our guard is lowered, so keep it up. As soon as you feel the attack, drop into a fighting stance and defend yourself. Don't allow him to get inside your guard, and definitely don't allow him to come into camp and make himself at home by the fire. As soon as you feel the attack fight back. The enemy is a coward and usually won't stay long in a battle he's sure not to win. So strike quickly and push him back.
You won't Feel Like a Warrior
In the midst of battle, you will often feel confused, disoriented, perhaps overwhelmed, troubled with self-doubt. You will certainly feel the spirits that are present, and they will try to make you believe it's you that is angry, or prideful, or whatever assaults you. Set your face like a flint. It will clear, eventually, and you will again feel the presence of God and who you truly are. In the midst of it, war is chaos."
Yeah, I feel that way, a lot. And that's how the enemy wants us to feel, like we're all alone, and in over our heads. But this is where we must remember first and foremost, that we are Beloved Sons of the Father who has commanded and promised "Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." War is chaotic, and so it is crucial that we know our identity before we get into it.
Stay with it
"It takes more than a single skirmish to win a battle, and a hate-filled enemy usually will not yield at a single swing from us. Keep at it. The enemy is testing your resolve. Show him that no matter how long it takes, you fully intend to win."
In the Warrior's code, there's no surrender. We stand our ground and come back with our shields, or on them. Victory or death are the only two choices. And we are well trained Warriors fighting on the side that cannot lose. Don't give up my brothers, persevere to victory.
It Will Make You Holy
"First, that holiness is your best weapon. Spiritual warfare will make you holy. Trust me...The battle we find ourselves in gives a whole new purpose to holiness. The call is not to 'be a moral man because it's decent.' The call is to 'become a holy man and a Warrior, for you are needed in the battle, and if you don not become that man, you will be taken out.'"
That's the goal, holiness, Christlikeness. We are told in the Romans 5.1-5 and in James 1.2-4, that trials and hardships are there to mold us into the image of Christ. Romans 8 tells us that all things work for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose (verse 28). In the following verses (29-30) we see that this purpose is for us to become like Christ and to be glorified with Christ. The only way for this to happen is through trial and hardship. Christ endured, and overcame them, and so must we. He is there with us to help us, and the more we endure, the more like Him we become.
"The recovery of the Warrior is absolutely crucial to the recovery of a man. All else rests on this, for you will have to fight, my brothers, for everything you desire and everything you hold dear in this world. Despite what you feel, or what you may have been told, you have a Warrior's heart, because you bear the image of God. And he will train you to become a great Warrior, if you'll let him."
Men, we are Warriors, and we are needed in battle, now more than ever. Take up your shield, stand beside me in the phalanx, and let's take back ground for the Kingdom. Let the Warrior's rise.
"Father, you are a great Warrior, and I am made in your image. I am your son, and a warrior too. Open my eyes to see how you have been developing the Warrior in me."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 9: Raising the Warrior, part 6
"Life will provide a thousand sessions for the raising of the Warrior. Turn your radar on during the day, and intentionally don't take the path of least resistance. Take the road less traveled. If you are the kind of man who just hates any sort of conflict, then walk into some. When an awkward subject comes up at work - or at home - don't run. Move toward it. Ask hard questions. Hold your ground. The phone rings, and you can tell by the caller ID it's someone you don't want to talk to. Pick it up. Engage. That's the key word - engage."
If we want to be Warriors, we have to man up and act like Warriors. Paul said it in 1 Corinthians, "act like men, be strong." At Thermopylae, 300 Spartans faced hundreds of thousands of Persians, and they stood their ground. Less than 200 men defended the Alamo against thousands of Mexicans. Thousands of Allied troops hit the fortified shores of Normandy. You don't become a Warrior by retreating, you do it by getting back up and running the gauntlet again. You become a Warrior by running to the battle, not away from it. It's what you do that defines you.
"There are things we can do intentionally to develop the Warrior... Competition is good, and ought to be a part of every man's life. Adventure also provides many settings for the Warrior to come forth... head into something that will really test you, and you'll see the Warrior emerge. Be decisive. Every time a man makes a hard decision, the Warrior in him is strengthened. Notice those places you are normally passive, and do the opposite. What are you surrendering these days? Go take it back."
Again, this isn't something that happens accidentally, or by random chance. If it's going to happen it has to be intentional. The only way to get better is to push our selves forward. The only way to improve is to keep pushing our limits farther. The more we do, the more we'll realize that we're tougher, and stronger, than we ever thought.
And it's crucial that we prepare ourselves because battle is something we cannot escape. We are born into a world at war, and it is only a matter of time until we are called up to fight. "Eventually we find that we must face our enemy head-on." We have a real enemy, and he is always working to destroy us. He never wanted us to begin this journey, let alone get this far, and he has no intention of sitting by and letting us continue unopposed. We must resist him if we are to continue onward in our journey.
"WE have the example of Jesus in the wilderness as a model for how we must resist Satan (and all foul spirits - for Satan has many subordinate demons working for him). Jesus treats him like a real person (not a human being, but a fallen angel with an intellect and personality). He doesn't treat the temptations and accusations and assault simply as if they are weaknesses within himself; nor does he act as though they will go away if he tries to ignore him. He directly confronts the demon present out loud, with authority, and with Scripture."
As we seek to become like Christ, the enemy will try to take us out, just like he tried to take Christ out. The ultimate point of the wilderness attack was to try and get Jesus to avoid the cross. Satan did everything he could to prevent the will of God from being accomplished, and he failed. Jesus' victory empowered each of us to be victorious. William Barclay said, "The choices Jesus made in the wilderness inevitably meant the cross. But the cross, just as inevitably meant the final victory."
"Jesus triumphed over all foul spirits through his cross (Col. 2.:13-15). All authority in heaven and on this earth is his now (Matt. 28:18). He gives us his authority to overcome foul spirits (Luke 10:19; Eph. 1:18-21)... Jesus models for us in the wilderness trial that first, we make no agreements with it. Give no room in your heart to it. Then, send it away in his name. Your life is the training ground, and when it comes to spiritual warfare, it's all live-ammo training. Take it seriously."
Aragorn tells Theoden, "Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not." And the same is true of us. We are born into war, and so we must be ready. Fortunately, we are made in the image of a warrior God, and therefor Warriors ourselves. We must be intentional and ready for the battle.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
If we want to be Warriors, we have to man up and act like Warriors. Paul said it in 1 Corinthians, "act like men, be strong." At Thermopylae, 300 Spartans faced hundreds of thousands of Persians, and they stood their ground. Less than 200 men defended the Alamo against thousands of Mexicans. Thousands of Allied troops hit the fortified shores of Normandy. You don't become a Warrior by retreating, you do it by getting back up and running the gauntlet again. You become a Warrior by running to the battle, not away from it. It's what you do that defines you.
"There are things we can do intentionally to develop the Warrior... Competition is good, and ought to be a part of every man's life. Adventure also provides many settings for the Warrior to come forth... head into something that will really test you, and you'll see the Warrior emerge. Be decisive. Every time a man makes a hard decision, the Warrior in him is strengthened. Notice those places you are normally passive, and do the opposite. What are you surrendering these days? Go take it back."
Again, this isn't something that happens accidentally, or by random chance. If it's going to happen it has to be intentional. The only way to get better is to push our selves forward. The only way to improve is to keep pushing our limits farther. The more we do, the more we'll realize that we're tougher, and stronger, than we ever thought.
And it's crucial that we prepare ourselves because battle is something we cannot escape. We are born into a world at war, and it is only a matter of time until we are called up to fight. "Eventually we find that we must face our enemy head-on." We have a real enemy, and he is always working to destroy us. He never wanted us to begin this journey, let alone get this far, and he has no intention of sitting by and letting us continue unopposed. We must resist him if we are to continue onward in our journey.
"WE have the example of Jesus in the wilderness as a model for how we must resist Satan (and all foul spirits - for Satan has many subordinate demons working for him). Jesus treats him like a real person (not a human being, but a fallen angel with an intellect and personality). He doesn't treat the temptations and accusations and assault simply as if they are weaknesses within himself; nor does he act as though they will go away if he tries to ignore him. He directly confronts the demon present out loud, with authority, and with Scripture."
As we seek to become like Christ, the enemy will try to take us out, just like he tried to take Christ out. The ultimate point of the wilderness attack was to try and get Jesus to avoid the cross. Satan did everything he could to prevent the will of God from being accomplished, and he failed. Jesus' victory empowered each of us to be victorious. William Barclay said, "The choices Jesus made in the wilderness inevitably meant the cross. But the cross, just as inevitably meant the final victory."
"Jesus triumphed over all foul spirits through his cross (Col. 2.:13-15). All authority in heaven and on this earth is his now (Matt. 28:18). He gives us his authority to overcome foul spirits (Luke 10:19; Eph. 1:18-21)... Jesus models for us in the wilderness trial that first, we make no agreements with it. Give no room in your heart to it. Then, send it away in his name. Your life is the training ground, and when it comes to spiritual warfare, it's all live-ammo training. Take it seriously."
Aragorn tells Theoden, "Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not." And the same is true of us. We are born into war, and so we must be ready. Fortunately, we are made in the image of a warrior God, and therefor Warriors ourselves. We must be intentional and ready for the battle.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 9: Raising the Warrior, part 5
"Before we talk about Warrior training for a man, it might be good to first address raising the lost Warrior in a man, resurrecting him... it might be best for a man to go back to those times and places in his own story when the Warrior was wounded. Invite Christ to take you there, and speak, and bring the healing you need. Some of you just need to live as the Beloved Son for a while, and then experience your initiation as a Cowboy. Then you can enter the Warrior stage."
I think this is a crucial step in the masculine journey for many of us. These stages cannot be skipped, they build on each other. Everyone boy has the Warrior hardwired into him, but sadly and far too often, somewhere along the journey the warrior is fatally wounded, and goes into hiding. I lost a varsity spot on the wrestling team in a wrestle off that shouldn't have happened. In churches, I've tried to change the world, and been shut down by leadership and people. How many young warriors has this happened too? We have passion to change the world and believe we can, but then we find many in the world really don't want to change and with no king to follow the fire is smothered.
Some don't even get to begin the journey. For one reason or another they are never given the security and freedom to be the Beloved Son. Without this key foundation it is impossible to move forward and find the initiation into Cowboy and then Warrior stages. Some are robbed of the early stage and it is cut short, forcing them to grow into a role they are not ready for.
In this it is crucial for us to remember that God wants to father us. He'll take us back to the places we missed or were robbed of. He'll bring healing to the wounded areas and initiate us properly. He'll love and affirm us as His Beloved Sons. He'll challenge us as Cowboys. And when the time is right, He'll call out the Warrior.
"How does God raise the Warrior in a man? Hardship. Something in you knows it's true. I think this is where we have most misinterpreted what God is up to in our lives. As long as we are committed to the path of least resistance, to making our lives comfortable, trial and tribulation will feel unkind. But, if we are looking for a dojo in which to train as a Warrior, well then - this is the real deal. What better means than hardship? What better way to train a Warrior than by putting a man in situation after situation where he must fight?"
As I read that my mind went to ancient Sparta. Spartan boys were taken from their mothers at the age of seven and brought into the Agoge. Here they were molded into the greatest soldiers of the ancient world. Here they became Spartans. They were given very little food which encouraged them to steal, and there was only punishment when they were caught. The punishment wasn't for stealing, but for getting caught. The hunger prepared them for war when food was short. As they grew they engaged in full contact weapons training. Some died, but it was all part of their training, your brothers are going to die in battle, get used to it. They were beaten so that they learned to ignore pain. And it was from this that Spartans were formed. This is how warriors were made, through hardship and hands on, in the field training.
Our Warrior training doesn't fall into the same physical extremes, but it is crucial that we come to grips with the fact that we will face hardships. "You will be tested. Like Jesus' desert trial, the enemy comes, probing the perimeter. He knows your story, knows where the weak spots are. But this is our training... This is how we develop a resolute heart. We make no agreements with whatever the temptation or accusation is. We repent the moment we do stumble, repent quickly, so that we don't get hammered. We pray for strength from the Spirit of God in us. We directly - and this is the one thing so many men fail to do - we directly resist the enemy, out loud, as Jesus did in the desert. We quote Scripture against him. We command him to flee."
We are part of an Epic Story, and we're called to the battlefield. We begin the journey as Beloved Sons, who know who our Father is, and know that we are loved and treasured by Him. We grow and begin to discover our strength. We adventure to conquer our fear and push our limits. We work to develop discipline and perseverance. And then the time comes for us to take the lessons we've learned, the courage and conviction we've developed, out to the front lines and stand our ground for the Kingdom.
This isn't something that is done passively or unintentionally. This is a deliberate choice we make. Let the Warrior arise.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
I think this is a crucial step in the masculine journey for many of us. These stages cannot be skipped, they build on each other. Everyone boy has the Warrior hardwired into him, but sadly and far too often, somewhere along the journey the warrior is fatally wounded, and goes into hiding. I lost a varsity spot on the wrestling team in a wrestle off that shouldn't have happened. In churches, I've tried to change the world, and been shut down by leadership and people. How many young warriors has this happened too? We have passion to change the world and believe we can, but then we find many in the world really don't want to change and with no king to follow the fire is smothered.
Some don't even get to begin the journey. For one reason or another they are never given the security and freedom to be the Beloved Son. Without this key foundation it is impossible to move forward and find the initiation into Cowboy and then Warrior stages. Some are robbed of the early stage and it is cut short, forcing them to grow into a role they are not ready for.
In this it is crucial for us to remember that God wants to father us. He'll take us back to the places we missed or were robbed of. He'll bring healing to the wounded areas and initiate us properly. He'll love and affirm us as His Beloved Sons. He'll challenge us as Cowboys. And when the time is right, He'll call out the Warrior.
"How does God raise the Warrior in a man? Hardship. Something in you knows it's true. I think this is where we have most misinterpreted what God is up to in our lives. As long as we are committed to the path of least resistance, to making our lives comfortable, trial and tribulation will feel unkind. But, if we are looking for a dojo in which to train as a Warrior, well then - this is the real deal. What better means than hardship? What better way to train a Warrior than by putting a man in situation after situation where he must fight?"
As I read that my mind went to ancient Sparta. Spartan boys were taken from their mothers at the age of seven and brought into the Agoge. Here they were molded into the greatest soldiers of the ancient world. Here they became Spartans. They were given very little food which encouraged them to steal, and there was only punishment when they were caught. The punishment wasn't for stealing, but for getting caught. The hunger prepared them for war when food was short. As they grew they engaged in full contact weapons training. Some died, but it was all part of their training, your brothers are going to die in battle, get used to it. They were beaten so that they learned to ignore pain. And it was from this that Spartans were formed. This is how warriors were made, through hardship and hands on, in the field training.
Our Warrior training doesn't fall into the same physical extremes, but it is crucial that we come to grips with the fact that we will face hardships. "You will be tested. Like Jesus' desert trial, the enemy comes, probing the perimeter. He knows your story, knows where the weak spots are. But this is our training... This is how we develop a resolute heart. We make no agreements with whatever the temptation or accusation is. We repent the moment we do stumble, repent quickly, so that we don't get hammered. We pray for strength from the Spirit of God in us. We directly - and this is the one thing so many men fail to do - we directly resist the enemy, out loud, as Jesus did in the desert. We quote Scripture against him. We command him to flee."
We are part of an Epic Story, and we're called to the battlefield. We begin the journey as Beloved Sons, who know who our Father is, and know that we are loved and treasured by Him. We grow and begin to discover our strength. We adventure to conquer our fear and push our limits. We work to develop discipline and perseverance. And then the time comes for us to take the lessons we've learned, the courage and conviction we've developed, out to the front lines and stand our ground for the Kingdom.
This isn't something that is done passively or unintentionally. This is a deliberate choice we make. Let the Warrior arise.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Monday, October 21, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 9: Raising the Warrior, part 4
"Let us focus on the young men, whom we see are the Warriors. They are strong (or valiant), the Word of God lives in them, and they have overcome the evil one. That's good. To cultivate this in a young man... it might help to think along three lines: Bravery, Conviction, and an Epic Story." We looked at Bravery which comes from Conviction, and now for the root of it all, an Epic Story.
"He will need a cause. He will need battles to fight. Far a young man in his twenties, this might mean a stint in the military service, or it might mean grad school. He might be encouraged to join the smoke jumpers, or a search-and-rescue outfit - some place that he is needed. Missions work would be timely now, especially in dangerous situations. Stories of great men fighting for a cause will help foster this. They need to see it modeled, and they need a story they can be invited into."
Seeing your life as part of an Epic Story is essential. Over the past year, maybe two or three, I really haven't had a sense of that. There hasn't been adventure, and I really haven't felt like I've been involved in any battle that matters. I haven't really needed any conviction, and there really has been no need for bravery. And it all comes down to the fact that I haven't seen my life as part of an Epic Story. Without an Epic Story to be part of, there is no life, we just exist. A man needs to know he's part of something bigger than himself and his present circumstances.
"There is something in the heart of a young man that says, 'Give me a cause. I am supposed to fight.' He is made for battle, and he must be given a Christianity that includes a great battle. The battle to behave yourself - the Christianity of 'just don't do anything bad' - will not suffice, I assure you. Minding your manners needs no Warrior. The young man becoming a Warrior needs a bigger story."
That is what my heart longs for, now more than ever. Right now at church I've been given some opportunity to be part of the larger work the church is doing. I lead a small group of young married couples with my wife; we've been doing that for almost six months now. Recently however, I've been invited to be part of something bigger. My pastor asked me to teach a three week class for new believers. They are really working to get people connected, and rooted in the new life that Christ offers. In addition to this, I've been asked to be part of a curriculum writing team that is working on a twelve week class to follow up the three week class, and take new believers deeper into the essentials of the Christian faith.
And as I'm doing this, I want more, but this is the role I've been given to play for the moment. I might not be satisfied, but I'm learning contentment because I know that all of this is warrior training for the next stage of my life, and it will, in some capacity, help many lives over the next several years. This is bigger than me, it's Kingdom work. And it's helping me to strengthen some of my gifts, and direct me to where my real passion lies. It's focusing my conviction and leading me to the battles I am called to fight.
"How desperately we need to recover a Warrior culture among men, if only on behalf of the young men who need Someone and Something to look up to. It may never happen in our churches - oh, how I pray it does - but it can happen in our fellowships of men."
As I've been working on this blog for most of this year, and thought about doing it for close to two years before starting it, I've really felt that this is the battle I am to fight. There are several things I'm passionate about, but recently reaching out to men and boys, and working to bring them through initiation has been the thing that has most stood out to me, and excited me. I haven't written much on my other blog because my mind has been very blank whenever I try to, but this one, I can't wait to get to it, and wish I had more time to just focus on it. This is the battle I am called to fight; this is where this Warrior must make his stand.
What are your passions? You are a Warrior, made in the image of a Warrior God, and you have been created to play a vital role in His Epic Story. Your life and strength are not yours simply to exist and get through life. They, like every other blessing, are yours to serve and bless others. You are a Warrior. "Above all, the boy needs to see his father is a Warrior, caught up in a great battle. Which brings us to men."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
"He will need a cause. He will need battles to fight. Far a young man in his twenties, this might mean a stint in the military service, or it might mean grad school. He might be encouraged to join the smoke jumpers, or a search-and-rescue outfit - some place that he is needed. Missions work would be timely now, especially in dangerous situations. Stories of great men fighting for a cause will help foster this. They need to see it modeled, and they need a story they can be invited into."
Seeing your life as part of an Epic Story is essential. Over the past year, maybe two or three, I really haven't had a sense of that. There hasn't been adventure, and I really haven't felt like I've been involved in any battle that matters. I haven't really needed any conviction, and there really has been no need for bravery. And it all comes down to the fact that I haven't seen my life as part of an Epic Story. Without an Epic Story to be part of, there is no life, we just exist. A man needs to know he's part of something bigger than himself and his present circumstances.
"There is something in the heart of a young man that says, 'Give me a cause. I am supposed to fight.' He is made for battle, and he must be given a Christianity that includes a great battle. The battle to behave yourself - the Christianity of 'just don't do anything bad' - will not suffice, I assure you. Minding your manners needs no Warrior. The young man becoming a Warrior needs a bigger story."
That is what my heart longs for, now more than ever. Right now at church I've been given some opportunity to be part of the larger work the church is doing. I lead a small group of young married couples with my wife; we've been doing that for almost six months now. Recently however, I've been invited to be part of something bigger. My pastor asked me to teach a three week class for new believers. They are really working to get people connected, and rooted in the new life that Christ offers. In addition to this, I've been asked to be part of a curriculum writing team that is working on a twelve week class to follow up the three week class, and take new believers deeper into the essentials of the Christian faith.
And as I'm doing this, I want more, but this is the role I've been given to play for the moment. I might not be satisfied, but I'm learning contentment because I know that all of this is warrior training for the next stage of my life, and it will, in some capacity, help many lives over the next several years. This is bigger than me, it's Kingdom work. And it's helping me to strengthen some of my gifts, and direct me to where my real passion lies. It's focusing my conviction and leading me to the battles I am called to fight.
"How desperately we need to recover a Warrior culture among men, if only on behalf of the young men who need Someone and Something to look up to. It may never happen in our churches - oh, how I pray it does - but it can happen in our fellowships of men."
As I've been working on this blog for most of this year, and thought about doing it for close to two years before starting it, I've really felt that this is the battle I am to fight. There are several things I'm passionate about, but recently reaching out to men and boys, and working to bring them through initiation has been the thing that has most stood out to me, and excited me. I haven't written much on my other blog because my mind has been very blank whenever I try to, but this one, I can't wait to get to it, and wish I had more time to just focus on it. This is the battle I am called to fight; this is where this Warrior must make his stand.
What are your passions? You are a Warrior, made in the image of a Warrior God, and you have been created to play a vital role in His Epic Story. Your life and strength are not yours simply to exist and get through life. They, like every other blessing, are yours to serve and bless others. You are a Warrior. "Above all, the boy needs to see his father is a Warrior, caught up in a great battle. Which brings us to men."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Saturday, October 19, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 9: Raising the Warrior, part 3
"Let us focus on the young men, whom we see are the Warriors. They are strong (or valiant), the Word of God lives in them, and they have overcome the evil one. That's good. To cultivate this in a young man... it might help to think along three lines: Bravery, Conviction, and an Epic Story." We looked at Bravery, today let's examine Conviction.
Conviction is crucial for a young man to have and live by. Again, "A man will follow his own convictions to his death, but he'll only follow another man's convictions until he steps in manure." Conviction is what empowers a warrior’s bravery to come out. It gives him a context for it and a reason for it. It gives what he does a point.
In the movie Secondhand Lions there is a scene where the one uncle, Garth, asks his brother, Hub, "All your life you've never been afraid of anything. So what's eating at you now? Getting old? Dying?" His reply, "Being useless. When we were younger there was always a point." A man must have conviction in his life. He must have something to live for.
If you look at Warrior cultures down through history there was an oath they took, a creed they lived by. For the Spartans it was, "Go tell the Spartans passerby, that here by Spartan Law we lie." They would never retreat or surrender, it was victory or death. In their culture the mother would present her son with his shield, and as she gave it to him she spoke these words, "With it, or on it." He was to come back alive and carrying it or dead being carried on it. The shield was the reason they were so successful in battle, and it was also the first thing you would want to abandon if you decided to run. It was driving the point home of victory in battle or death.
"There is something in a noble oath, a code, a cause, that stirs the heart of a man. To learn, for example, that samurai means 'to serve.' To be dangerous and powerful in order to serve. As with the samurai, nearly every warrior society down through the ages had a code of some sort. After all, we aren’t raising reckless warriors; we are raising men who fight for a cause."
Without a cause what's the point? A cause is what can keep you going when things get hard, and when there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Conviction and a cause keep hope alive. It gives purpose to things that seem like a waste. It keeps you going when everyone else around you is giving up. We need conviction, we need a cause. And the cause helps to channel the strength of the Warrior.
"Young men typically have a strong sense of justice... Go with it. Teach him the honor of right and wrong. Let him see it in you. Let him get angry over things. His thinking tends to be black and white, which at this stage is just fine, because he needs to confront evil and take his stand against it. The young man needs a cause and a King... Hopefully, the King will guide the zeal of the young Warrior into the right channels. You might be the King who leads your sons, and together, you serve the King of all kings."
Conviction is what guides a man's sense of right and wrong, and it's crucial that we pour into our sons what God says about it. The world will offer so many things. It will water down His truth and try to get a young Warrior to compromise on the standards of holiness and righteousness. He must have conviction on what is true and right if he is to survive. And it is at this stage of his life that his own personal faith begins to really develop.
It is here, as Warriors, that, "they come to take their faith seriously at this stage. It is no longer 'my parents" faith,' it is mine now. It might happen in high school, but more often in college. We should not attempt to rush this. It needs to come organically from within." A Warrior must develop his own relationship with the King of kings. A father can only take him so far, but he plays an important role, because what a boy sees in his father will shape his view of God. And forcing this on a young man, engaging him in something that for the large part is ritual and habit, will do a great deal of harm.
"How do we help them not just know, but love the Word of God? Rote memorization won't do it, and I've counseled too many young men whose souls grew numb to the Scriptures because of Bible class... The greatest enemy of true faith has always been religion, and a religious attitude is not what we are after. Let them see your love for the Scriptures. Let them see the Word of God dwell in you richly. Talk about it naturally, as you bring it into daily life. Teach the young man to have time with God that is real and meaningful." This is something he must witness and then develop on his own. He is unique, and God will speak to him uniquely. Our job is simply to model a life that loves and serves God. Our job is to live in a relationship with God, and allow our sons to witness what it looks like. God will guide him into what his own looks like.
We must guide Warriors to conviction if they are truly to become Men of God. "He will need a cause. He will need battles to fight... They need to see it modeled, and they need a story they can be invited into." That is where we are headed next.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Conviction is crucial for a young man to have and live by. Again, "A man will follow his own convictions to his death, but he'll only follow another man's convictions until he steps in manure." Conviction is what empowers a warrior’s bravery to come out. It gives him a context for it and a reason for it. It gives what he does a point.
In the movie Secondhand Lions there is a scene where the one uncle, Garth, asks his brother, Hub, "All your life you've never been afraid of anything. So what's eating at you now? Getting old? Dying?" His reply, "Being useless. When we were younger there was always a point." A man must have conviction in his life. He must have something to live for.
If you look at Warrior cultures down through history there was an oath they took, a creed they lived by. For the Spartans it was, "Go tell the Spartans passerby, that here by Spartan Law we lie." They would never retreat or surrender, it was victory or death. In their culture the mother would present her son with his shield, and as she gave it to him she spoke these words, "With it, or on it." He was to come back alive and carrying it or dead being carried on it. The shield was the reason they were so successful in battle, and it was also the first thing you would want to abandon if you decided to run. It was driving the point home of victory in battle or death.
"There is something in a noble oath, a code, a cause, that stirs the heart of a man. To learn, for example, that samurai means 'to serve.' To be dangerous and powerful in order to serve. As with the samurai, nearly every warrior society down through the ages had a code of some sort. After all, we aren’t raising reckless warriors; we are raising men who fight for a cause."
Without a cause what's the point? A cause is what can keep you going when things get hard, and when there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Conviction and a cause keep hope alive. It gives purpose to things that seem like a waste. It keeps you going when everyone else around you is giving up. We need conviction, we need a cause. And the cause helps to channel the strength of the Warrior.
"Young men typically have a strong sense of justice... Go with it. Teach him the honor of right and wrong. Let him see it in you. Let him get angry over things. His thinking tends to be black and white, which at this stage is just fine, because he needs to confront evil and take his stand against it. The young man needs a cause and a King... Hopefully, the King will guide the zeal of the young Warrior into the right channels. You might be the King who leads your sons, and together, you serve the King of all kings."
Conviction is what guides a man's sense of right and wrong, and it's crucial that we pour into our sons what God says about it. The world will offer so many things. It will water down His truth and try to get a young Warrior to compromise on the standards of holiness and righteousness. He must have conviction on what is true and right if he is to survive. And it is at this stage of his life that his own personal faith begins to really develop.
It is here, as Warriors, that, "they come to take their faith seriously at this stage. It is no longer 'my parents" faith,' it is mine now. It might happen in high school, but more often in college. We should not attempt to rush this. It needs to come organically from within." A Warrior must develop his own relationship with the King of kings. A father can only take him so far, but he plays an important role, because what a boy sees in his father will shape his view of God. And forcing this on a young man, engaging him in something that for the large part is ritual and habit, will do a great deal of harm.
"How do we help them not just know, but love the Word of God? Rote memorization won't do it, and I've counseled too many young men whose souls grew numb to the Scriptures because of Bible class... The greatest enemy of true faith has always been religion, and a religious attitude is not what we are after. Let them see your love for the Scriptures. Let them see the Word of God dwell in you richly. Talk about it naturally, as you bring it into daily life. Teach the young man to have time with God that is real and meaningful." This is something he must witness and then develop on his own. He is unique, and God will speak to him uniquely. Our job is simply to model a life that loves and serves God. Our job is to live in a relationship with God, and allow our sons to witness what it looks like. God will guide him into what his own looks like.
We must guide Warriors to conviction if they are truly to become Men of God. "He will need a cause. He will need battles to fight... They need to see it modeled, and they need a story they can be invited into." That is where we are headed next.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Thursday, October 17, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 9: Raising the Warrior, part 2
"I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one" (1 John 2.12-14).
These verses show us a glimpse of each of the stages of the masculine journey. Becoming Beloved Sons when our sins are forgiven and coming to really know the Father. Cowboys and Warriors who are strong and overcome the enemy. Lovers, Kings, and Sages, who have a deep and intimate relationship with God.
"Let us focus on the young men, whom we see are the Warriors. They are strong (or valiant), the Word of God lives in them, and they have overcome the evil one. That's good. To cultivate this in a young man (and in ourselves as older men), it might help to think along three lines: Bravery, Conviction, and an Epic Story."
These three things are essential for a Warrior. He has to be brave and courageous, it's the only way he'll take any risk at all, and it's the only way he'll survive the battle. A man must have convictions that he lives by, otherwise his life will end up a mess. I read a quote a couple of weeks ago that said, "A man will follow his own convictions to his death, but he'll only follow another man's convictions until he steps in manure." Conviction decides what hills you're willing to die on, and bravery is what enables you to hold your ground on those hills. And all of this is lost without an Epic Story. What need is there for bravery if you aren't living for something bigger than yourself? Where do your convictions come from if this is all there is? For this to make sense, there has to be something bigger involved.
"Raising a young man to be brave is essential. And I may add, there are many types of bravery- physical, emotional, and spiritual... Physical bravery is cultivated in great part by adventure, and sports, by intentionally putting yourself in dangerous situations. As he grows, the adventures of the Cowboy Ranger stage become more serious, and they provide a context for the Warrior to be roused in him." Adventure is essential. If the Cowboy stage is all work and no play, valuable battle preparation is lost.
"Emotional bravery is developed in most cases of physical bravery, for he will have to master fear, but it is also formed when a young man takes risks in relationships. It might mean risking embarrassment by making a speech in front of a class, or running for an office. It might mean risking rejection by making a new friend, or confronting a good friend on some issues. It will require him to leave a party when the kids start doing things they shouldn't be doing. He will need emotional bravery in large measure when he enters into marriage... The important thing in cultivating emotional bravery is helping the boy learn not to quit, teaching him to rise above setbacks and heartbreaks." This is where we learn grit and perseverance. It's where the hard work comes in. You learn to keep going, to keep pressing forward. A couple of the quotes to the left capture this really well.
"Rise and rise again until lambs become lions."
"Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it."
"But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. that's how winning is done!"
A man must develop this perseverance, otherwise he'll give up every time something gets too hard.
"Spiritual bravery is cultivated when we take risks of faith. This is the greatest bravery, as far as I'm concerned... It begins with simple things, like risking to ask God for something in prayer - for if God does not answer, what is the young man to do? He must persevere, hold fast, not give up so easily. He must guard his heart against the Accuser. The breakthrough might come later, or in answer to a different prayer, in a different situation. He must be encouraged to take a stand for his faith. He must be taught to confront the evil one, as Jesus did in the wilderness, and to command him to flee when he is under spiritual attack."
A man must be brave and confident to go before God, and to have the faith to continue to trust God when the answer is "No." or "Not yet." If he knows that he is the Beloved Son, I think that helps tremendously, because though he might not get the answer he was hoping for, he knows that above all the Father loves him and has his best interest at heart. I think the spiritual bravery is the root of both physical and emotional. Knowing who he is in God gives him a confidence to put himself out there emotionally, and enables him to do what is right. Knowing that on the other side of this life is eternal life will give him physical bravery. He won't be afraid to die because he knows the Father is waiting on the other side to welcome him for his service in battle.
"Developing a brave heart comes down to this - wherever the boy is frightened, wherever you see a hesitancy or uncertainty in him, gently take him there, over time, and help him conquer his fear... That's the place you want to lead your son to. And that is the place we want to come to ourselves, as we learn to press through our own fears. I believe it is why God continues to take us into situations that arouse fear in us. The enemy would say we've blown it, or that we've been abandoned; the Father says, 'You can do this - play the man.' This is how courage is developed."
I think of the words God spoke to Joshua as he prepared to lead the people across the Jordan to conquer the Promised Land, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1.6-9).
Be strong and courageous, Warriors of God.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
These verses show us a glimpse of each of the stages of the masculine journey. Becoming Beloved Sons when our sins are forgiven and coming to really know the Father. Cowboys and Warriors who are strong and overcome the enemy. Lovers, Kings, and Sages, who have a deep and intimate relationship with God.
"Let us focus on the young men, whom we see are the Warriors. They are strong (or valiant), the Word of God lives in them, and they have overcome the evil one. That's good. To cultivate this in a young man (and in ourselves as older men), it might help to think along three lines: Bravery, Conviction, and an Epic Story."
These three things are essential for a Warrior. He has to be brave and courageous, it's the only way he'll take any risk at all, and it's the only way he'll survive the battle. A man must have convictions that he lives by, otherwise his life will end up a mess. I read a quote a couple of weeks ago that said, "A man will follow his own convictions to his death, but he'll only follow another man's convictions until he steps in manure." Conviction decides what hills you're willing to die on, and bravery is what enables you to hold your ground on those hills. And all of this is lost without an Epic Story. What need is there for bravery if you aren't living for something bigger than yourself? Where do your convictions come from if this is all there is? For this to make sense, there has to be something bigger involved.
"Raising a young man to be brave is essential. And I may add, there are many types of bravery- physical, emotional, and spiritual... Physical bravery is cultivated in great part by adventure, and sports, by intentionally putting yourself in dangerous situations. As he grows, the adventures of the Cowboy Ranger stage become more serious, and they provide a context for the Warrior to be roused in him." Adventure is essential. If the Cowboy stage is all work and no play, valuable battle preparation is lost.
"Emotional bravery is developed in most cases of physical bravery, for he will have to master fear, but it is also formed when a young man takes risks in relationships. It might mean risking embarrassment by making a speech in front of a class, or running for an office. It might mean risking rejection by making a new friend, or confronting a good friend on some issues. It will require him to leave a party when the kids start doing things they shouldn't be doing. He will need emotional bravery in large measure when he enters into marriage... The important thing in cultivating emotional bravery is helping the boy learn not to quit, teaching him to rise above setbacks and heartbreaks." This is where we learn grit and perseverance. It's where the hard work comes in. You learn to keep going, to keep pressing forward. A couple of the quotes to the left capture this really well.
"Rise and rise again until lambs become lions."
"Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it."
"But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. that's how winning is done!"
A man must develop this perseverance, otherwise he'll give up every time something gets too hard.
"Spiritual bravery is cultivated when we take risks of faith. This is the greatest bravery, as far as I'm concerned... It begins with simple things, like risking to ask God for something in prayer - for if God does not answer, what is the young man to do? He must persevere, hold fast, not give up so easily. He must guard his heart against the Accuser. The breakthrough might come later, or in answer to a different prayer, in a different situation. He must be encouraged to take a stand for his faith. He must be taught to confront the evil one, as Jesus did in the wilderness, and to command him to flee when he is under spiritual attack."
A man must be brave and confident to go before God, and to have the faith to continue to trust God when the answer is "No." or "Not yet." If he knows that he is the Beloved Son, I think that helps tremendously, because though he might not get the answer he was hoping for, he knows that above all the Father loves him and has his best interest at heart. I think the spiritual bravery is the root of both physical and emotional. Knowing who he is in God gives him a confidence to put himself out there emotionally, and enables him to do what is right. Knowing that on the other side of this life is eternal life will give him physical bravery. He won't be afraid to die because he knows the Father is waiting on the other side to welcome him for his service in battle.
"Developing a brave heart comes down to this - wherever the boy is frightened, wherever you see a hesitancy or uncertainty in him, gently take him there, over time, and help him conquer his fear... That's the place you want to lead your son to. And that is the place we want to come to ourselves, as we learn to press through our own fears. I believe it is why God continues to take us into situations that arouse fear in us. The enemy would say we've blown it, or that we've been abandoned; the Father says, 'You can do this - play the man.' This is how courage is developed."
I think of the words God spoke to Joshua as he prepared to lead the people across the Jordan to conquer the Promised Land, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1.6-9).
Be strong and courageous, Warriors of God.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 9: Raising the Warrior, part 1
Think back to the last "Man Movie" you watched, for me it's been a while, I might have to throw in Gladiator tonight. But most likely, in that movie there was some sort of training that went on. In the opening paragraphs of this chapter John shares a scene from early in Kingdom of Heaven where Godfrey, the father, has been joined on a the road to Jerusalem by his son Balian. At camp in the woods the father begins to train his son to use a sword. "The Warrior is being called out, trained for battle... This is what we long for."
Deep inside all of us, we long for moments like that, and it's why we love watching them so much. We long to be trained and strengthened so that we can join the battle. That's what warriors do, and the warrior is hardwired into who we are as men. The time of the Cowboy is about adventure and hard work, and both of those prepare us for, and lead us into, the stage of the Warrior. "The shift begins when we accept a new way of looking at the world, and our place in it. We are at war, and our Father and elder Brother are great Warriors, and much of what we encounter is in fact either our Warrior training or a battle we must fight, or, most often, both at the same time."
It's crucial that we set aside the Cowboy and move on to becoming Warriors. The war won't go away just because we ignore it and refuse to fight, evil will just have the opportunity to destroy more that is good and pure. We must become who we were born to be. "You don't have to put the Warrior in a boy - it's there, hardwired into him."
"You might see the Warrior emerging as a boy makes weapons out of anything he can get his hands on... You might see the Warrior emerge in a quieter boy through a game of chess, or Scrabble, just as fiercely... a boy's heroes are almost always warriors - Spider-Man, Batman, the Jedi, army men, the samurai. Yes, some boys seem to have more Warrior in them than others, but if we believe gender runs deep (as Genesis 1 implies), and if we believe a man is made in the image of a Warrior God, then we will find the Warrior if we look for it, and then we must be intentional to encourage it and direct it into maturity."
I haven't really put words to it before now, but my younger brother and I fit the two sides of this spectrum. I make (present tense) weapons out of anything I can get my hands on. I was a wrestler and weight lifter. My little brother on the other hand doesn't do stuff like that. He played organized sports for a while but has since given them up. I don't recall him ever making weapons, or come to think of it, playing with the toy ones I had when I was younger (ok, still do have some of them). But he's part of the academic challenge team, and you've got to be crazy to want to play any sort of board game with him. When I wrestled, and really got comfortable with my style, I didn't go for the pin, I went after guys and worked to score as many points as I possibly could. I wanted the technical fall, where you win by 15 points. When it comes to board games my little brother doesn't want to just win, he wants to destroy you completely. Both are the warrior emerging, and it must be encouraged to come out.
"When the boy is young, encouraging the Warrior is pretty simple: just don't shut it down. Wrestle with him, often, play games with him and let him win. Not all the time - he needs to know Dad is still a strong man to be respected. But more often than not, let him triumph. He'll want to play Warrior games like cowboys and Indians - go for it. Jump in. Snowball fights, pillow fights - heck, he'll come up with all this stuff. You just go with it. Provide him with Warrior stories. There are plenty in the Bible, and those will capture the imagination of the boy, show him that God is exactly the kind of King he's looking for. (A Christianity of 'just be a nice boy' has emasculated many a man, and it will not capture the heart of a boy.) The books and movies you choose - make sure they have noble Warriors in them... Let him dress up as a Warrior - Batman costumes, camo, Jedi knight. Let him destroy stuff... It's a release of sorts, and permission to be fierce in a way that doesn't do inappropriate damage. Now, if a boy is knocking down his brother, or terrorizing the dog, that's a different story, that's where we want to teach him self-restraint and respect for others... you have a strength, and it is good. Use it well. Let the boy blow stuff up. Let him play with weapons."
Let it happen, encourage it. These are training opportunities, take advantage of them. Encourage the Warrior, and show him how to be one. Let him know that it's ok, and more importantly, that it's essential. But he must also know that there is responsibility that comes with this, and that is why he must be trained to use it correctly. Shape him into the noble Warrior who stands for truth against evil.
As I said, my brother and I are different. "Some boys lean more toward a quite side, and that's okay. Just don't encourage passivity; lead him out... You can cultivate this in any boy. And for that matter, if a boy tends toward violence, you'll want to watch that as well, channeling the Warrior into safer grounds like sports, perhaps a punching bag in the basement... Give it a place." Every boy is a Warrior needing to be trained. Show him that his strength is good, that aggression is needed. Teach him control and channel it so that it is used properly. Train him.
"In the Cowboy Ranger stage, we seek to answer the Question: Do I have what it takes? In the Warrior stage, there is a new lesson to be learned: You are dangerous and powerful. Use it for good.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Deep inside all of us, we long for moments like that, and it's why we love watching them so much. We long to be trained and strengthened so that we can join the battle. That's what warriors do, and the warrior is hardwired into who we are as men. The time of the Cowboy is about adventure and hard work, and both of those prepare us for, and lead us into, the stage of the Warrior. "The shift begins when we accept a new way of looking at the world, and our place in it. We are at war, and our Father and elder Brother are great Warriors, and much of what we encounter is in fact either our Warrior training or a battle we must fight, or, most often, both at the same time."
It's crucial that we set aside the Cowboy and move on to becoming Warriors. The war won't go away just because we ignore it and refuse to fight, evil will just have the opportunity to destroy more that is good and pure. We must become who we were born to be. "You don't have to put the Warrior in a boy - it's there, hardwired into him."
"You might see the Warrior emerging as a boy makes weapons out of anything he can get his hands on... You might see the Warrior emerge in a quieter boy through a game of chess, or Scrabble, just as fiercely... a boy's heroes are almost always warriors - Spider-Man, Batman, the Jedi, army men, the samurai. Yes, some boys seem to have more Warrior in them than others, but if we believe gender runs deep (as Genesis 1 implies), and if we believe a man is made in the image of a Warrior God, then we will find the Warrior if we look for it, and then we must be intentional to encourage it and direct it into maturity."
I haven't really put words to it before now, but my younger brother and I fit the two sides of this spectrum. I make (present tense) weapons out of anything I can get my hands on. I was a wrestler and weight lifter. My little brother on the other hand doesn't do stuff like that. He played organized sports for a while but has since given them up. I don't recall him ever making weapons, or come to think of it, playing with the toy ones I had when I was younger (ok, still do have some of them). But he's part of the academic challenge team, and you've got to be crazy to want to play any sort of board game with him. When I wrestled, and really got comfortable with my style, I didn't go for the pin, I went after guys and worked to score as many points as I possibly could. I wanted the technical fall, where you win by 15 points. When it comes to board games my little brother doesn't want to just win, he wants to destroy you completely. Both are the warrior emerging, and it must be encouraged to come out.
"When the boy is young, encouraging the Warrior is pretty simple: just don't shut it down. Wrestle with him, often, play games with him and let him win. Not all the time - he needs to know Dad is still a strong man to be respected. But more often than not, let him triumph. He'll want to play Warrior games like cowboys and Indians - go for it. Jump in. Snowball fights, pillow fights - heck, he'll come up with all this stuff. You just go with it. Provide him with Warrior stories. There are plenty in the Bible, and those will capture the imagination of the boy, show him that God is exactly the kind of King he's looking for. (A Christianity of 'just be a nice boy' has emasculated many a man, and it will not capture the heart of a boy.) The books and movies you choose - make sure they have noble Warriors in them... Let him dress up as a Warrior - Batman costumes, camo, Jedi knight. Let him destroy stuff... It's a release of sorts, and permission to be fierce in a way that doesn't do inappropriate damage. Now, if a boy is knocking down his brother, or terrorizing the dog, that's a different story, that's where we want to teach him self-restraint and respect for others... you have a strength, and it is good. Use it well. Let the boy blow stuff up. Let him play with weapons."
Let it happen, encourage it. These are training opportunities, take advantage of them. Encourage the Warrior, and show him how to be one. Let him know that it's ok, and more importantly, that it's essential. But he must also know that there is responsibility that comes with this, and that is why he must be trained to use it correctly. Shape him into the noble Warrior who stands for truth against evil.
As I said, my brother and I are different. "Some boys lean more toward a quite side, and that's okay. Just don't encourage passivity; lead him out... You can cultivate this in any boy. And for that matter, if a boy tends toward violence, you'll want to watch that as well, channeling the Warrior into safer grounds like sports, perhaps a punching bag in the basement... Give it a place." Every boy is a Warrior needing to be trained. Show him that his strength is good, that aggression is needed. Teach him control and channel it so that it is used properly. Train him.
"In the Cowboy Ranger stage, we seek to answer the Question: Do I have what it takes? In the Warrior stage, there is a new lesson to be learned: You are dangerous and powerful. Use it for good.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Friday, October 11, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 8: Warrior, part 4
As with any stage of the masculine journey, we must face the reality of wounds. Even warriors, a symbol of strength and power, courage and resilience, are not immune to wounds.
"The heart of the Warrior is wounded in a boy and in a young man when he is told that aggression is flat-out wrong, unchristian, that niceness equals godliness. He is wounded when his attempts to rise up as a Warrior are mocked, or crushed. He is wounded when he has no one to train him, no king to give his allegiance to and no cause to fight for... The heart of the Warrior is wounded in a young man when he attempts to be a Warrior and is shamed."
How many of us have been taken out by one of these wounds? I've felt my attempts be crushed and felt as if I've had no king or cause. It's disheartening to feel completely alone, and it's the thing that has made me feel like giving up more than anything. And it doesn't help when the people you thought cared offer criticism that kicks you while you're down instead of a hand to help you up. When failure is met with no encouragement what is a young warrior to think of himself?
I shared in a recent post my experience of ministry over the past few years. I'm not going to go over it all again, but that experience was extremely wounding. For the past year I've wondered a lot if I'm ever going to get another chance. I've wondered if any king will be willing to give a wounded warrior another chance to fight. It has been difficult to keep going and keep hoping. But in this time I have seen how a king should react, and I have learned what I'm looking for if the chance ever comes. I'm praying it does.
Some of you are in similar positions. You've tried and been knocked down. You feel alone and like a failure, and you're wondering if it's just time to give up and get ready to endure life. Don't give up. I'm not, though I really want to some days. We are warriors, and warriors don't surrender. Keep fighting with me. I have an email address specifically for this blog; you can find it on the left side of the bottom of this page. I've shared bits of my struggles on here, and if I can pray for you or help you please let me know. We are in this together. We have to have each other’s backs and fight side by side.
"Never winning at anything, getting bullied, pushed around, and outright beat up has crushed many a young Warrior's heart, sent him into passivity. 'I’ll never try that again.'... though we don't win every fight there are still things worth fighting for."
A couple years ago I had the chance to help out with the local high schools wrestling team. I remember one day a couple of the bigger buys weren't at practice and so the heavy weight (in high school I think the weight class is 221-285 pounds) had to work out with a kid who weighed somewhere in the 160-170 pound range. Yeah there is a pretty significant weight difference, but if the lighter guy is experienced it might not be that big an issue. Sadly this kid had only been wrestling for a couple of months. I sat on the wall watching him get pushed around and belittled by the heavier guy, and after the drill was over he went and sat on the wall with his head between his knees.
I went over to him, sat next to him, and put my arm around his shoulder. I don't remember exactly what I said to him, but it was something to the effect of, "He put a beating on you, and you kept going back for more and taking it. Great job." He ended up getting a take down on me towards the end of the season, and it was awesome. We have to make sure we take advantage of the opportunities like that. We have to do everything we can to heal wounds the moment they start. We can't prevent all wounds, but if we pay attention we can bring quick healing to some. Sadly there are wounds we'll never know about. Some guys hide there’s out of a sense of shame, or even loyalty, that's what mine were.
"The wound is doubled when the beating comes from his own father, or perhaps an older brother. For that matter, the Warrior is wounded when a boy has to become a fighter too soon, as is the case when his father tells him, 'Don't be such a crybaby' and sends him back out to face a pack of boys who are bullying him, or when he lives in a volatile home where the shouting and anger make it clear that it's every man for himself. Or when he doesn't get to win at anything. My sons love to wrestle, but they would soon lose heart if every time I flipped them over and pinned them. On the other hand, if the father is passive, how will the young man learn to be a Warrior? Nothing rouses anger, frustration, and mounting disrespect in the heart of a boy as does his father's passivity."
If you want your son to be a warrior, he has to see it in you. John mentions The Patriot, and how the father's passivity leads to his sons disrespect and one of their deaths. On the other hand there is a scene early in 300 where we see Leonidas training his son. The Spartans were tough, and their sons were taught to be warriors very early in life. In the scene we the father training his son, but it isn't a harsh and disheartening thing. He gives resistance, but allows the boy to learn and work moves. He doesn't just roll over and give up, but he doesn't push him around and knock him down. If a boy is to be a warrior he must see his father, or another man who steps in to fill in the gap, as one, and be trained to be one as well.
"Finally, the heart of the Warrior is wounded, or abandoned, or sometimes let loose in very bad ways, when the young man does not have a King and a cause to serve." This is the reality for many, many, boys and men today. Because we've lost the initiation ritual there are so few men to guide and train boys. They have strength that is never channeled, the they wander trying to prove themselves in a futile search for meaning. A man needs a mission, a young man needs a leader to follow. Without these two things there is a deep wound that is given.
A king can step in and bring healing to other wounds. He can offer encouragement, and he can channel the strength and passion of a warrior so it can benefit a greater cause. A warrior needs a king. If your father was, or is, absent and there is no other man for you to look to there is still hope. "God is the Master in every stage. He is the Father when we are the Beloved Sons, a he is our King when we are Warriors... Jesus no longer had Joseph around when he entered his Warrior stage. On a human level, he was fatherless. But we know he was no alone. We, too, have a Father who is a great Warrior, and he will raise us as Warriors, if we'll let him, if we will embrace the initiation that comes with this stage. There is a Warrior in you, by the way. However it has been handled up to this point in your life, it can be restored, recovered, and made strong. The promise of Scripture is that the Father is raising us to be sons just like Jesus, meaning, you shall be as valiant as he was."
God has not forgotten or abandoned you. You are not alone. He created you to be a might warrior for Him, and if you will allow Him, He will mold you into it. We are called to be like Christ, and just as the Father initiated Jesus, He desires to initiate us. We need to have the same willingness, the same submission, and the same dependence that we see in Jesus. God will initiate us, be our leader, and give us the greatest cause if we will allow Him.
"Father, show me where I have lost heart as a Warrior. What did I miss here? What was wounded, and what was surrendered? Take me back to those times and places when the Warrior in me was shut down. Awaken and restore the Warrior heart in me. Train me. Show me what I have surrendered, where I am waling in passivity. Teach me an unyielding heart. Rouse me. I am willing. I am yours."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
"The heart of the Warrior is wounded in a boy and in a young man when he is told that aggression is flat-out wrong, unchristian, that niceness equals godliness. He is wounded when his attempts to rise up as a Warrior are mocked, or crushed. He is wounded when he has no one to train him, no king to give his allegiance to and no cause to fight for... The heart of the Warrior is wounded in a young man when he attempts to be a Warrior and is shamed."
How many of us have been taken out by one of these wounds? I've felt my attempts be crushed and felt as if I've had no king or cause. It's disheartening to feel completely alone, and it's the thing that has made me feel like giving up more than anything. And it doesn't help when the people you thought cared offer criticism that kicks you while you're down instead of a hand to help you up. When failure is met with no encouragement what is a young warrior to think of himself?
I shared in a recent post my experience of ministry over the past few years. I'm not going to go over it all again, but that experience was extremely wounding. For the past year I've wondered a lot if I'm ever going to get another chance. I've wondered if any king will be willing to give a wounded warrior another chance to fight. It has been difficult to keep going and keep hoping. But in this time I have seen how a king should react, and I have learned what I'm looking for if the chance ever comes. I'm praying it does.
Some of you are in similar positions. You've tried and been knocked down. You feel alone and like a failure, and you're wondering if it's just time to give up and get ready to endure life. Don't give up. I'm not, though I really want to some days. We are warriors, and warriors don't surrender. Keep fighting with me. I have an email address specifically for this blog; you can find it on the left side of the bottom of this page. I've shared bits of my struggles on here, and if I can pray for you or help you please let me know. We are in this together. We have to have each other’s backs and fight side by side.
"Never winning at anything, getting bullied, pushed around, and outright beat up has crushed many a young Warrior's heart, sent him into passivity. 'I’ll never try that again.'... though we don't win every fight there are still things worth fighting for."
A couple years ago I had the chance to help out with the local high schools wrestling team. I remember one day a couple of the bigger buys weren't at practice and so the heavy weight (in high school I think the weight class is 221-285 pounds) had to work out with a kid who weighed somewhere in the 160-170 pound range. Yeah there is a pretty significant weight difference, but if the lighter guy is experienced it might not be that big an issue. Sadly this kid had only been wrestling for a couple of months. I sat on the wall watching him get pushed around and belittled by the heavier guy, and after the drill was over he went and sat on the wall with his head between his knees.
I went over to him, sat next to him, and put my arm around his shoulder. I don't remember exactly what I said to him, but it was something to the effect of, "He put a beating on you, and you kept going back for more and taking it. Great job." He ended up getting a take down on me towards the end of the season, and it was awesome. We have to make sure we take advantage of the opportunities like that. We have to do everything we can to heal wounds the moment they start. We can't prevent all wounds, but if we pay attention we can bring quick healing to some. Sadly there are wounds we'll never know about. Some guys hide there’s out of a sense of shame, or even loyalty, that's what mine were.
"The wound is doubled when the beating comes from his own father, or perhaps an older brother. For that matter, the Warrior is wounded when a boy has to become a fighter too soon, as is the case when his father tells him, 'Don't be such a crybaby' and sends him back out to face a pack of boys who are bullying him, or when he lives in a volatile home where the shouting and anger make it clear that it's every man for himself. Or when he doesn't get to win at anything. My sons love to wrestle, but they would soon lose heart if every time I flipped them over and pinned them. On the other hand, if the father is passive, how will the young man learn to be a Warrior? Nothing rouses anger, frustration, and mounting disrespect in the heart of a boy as does his father's passivity."
If you want your son to be a warrior, he has to see it in you. John mentions The Patriot, and how the father's passivity leads to his sons disrespect and one of their deaths. On the other hand there is a scene early in 300 where we see Leonidas training his son. The Spartans were tough, and their sons were taught to be warriors very early in life. In the scene we the father training his son, but it isn't a harsh and disheartening thing. He gives resistance, but allows the boy to learn and work moves. He doesn't just roll over and give up, but he doesn't push him around and knock him down. If a boy is to be a warrior he must see his father, or another man who steps in to fill in the gap, as one, and be trained to be one as well.
"Finally, the heart of the Warrior is wounded, or abandoned, or sometimes let loose in very bad ways, when the young man does not have a King and a cause to serve." This is the reality for many, many, boys and men today. Because we've lost the initiation ritual there are so few men to guide and train boys. They have strength that is never channeled, the they wander trying to prove themselves in a futile search for meaning. A man needs a mission, a young man needs a leader to follow. Without these two things there is a deep wound that is given.
A king can step in and bring healing to other wounds. He can offer encouragement, and he can channel the strength and passion of a warrior so it can benefit a greater cause. A warrior needs a king. If your father was, or is, absent and there is no other man for you to look to there is still hope. "God is the Master in every stage. He is the Father when we are the Beloved Sons, a he is our King when we are Warriors... Jesus no longer had Joseph around when he entered his Warrior stage. On a human level, he was fatherless. But we know he was no alone. We, too, have a Father who is a great Warrior, and he will raise us as Warriors, if we'll let him, if we will embrace the initiation that comes with this stage. There is a Warrior in you, by the way. However it has been handled up to this point in your life, it can be restored, recovered, and made strong. The promise of Scripture is that the Father is raising us to be sons just like Jesus, meaning, you shall be as valiant as he was."
God has not forgotten or abandoned you. You are not alone. He created you to be a might warrior for Him, and if you will allow Him, He will mold you into it. We are called to be like Christ, and just as the Father initiated Jesus, He desires to initiate us. We need to have the same willingness, the same submission, and the same dependence that we see in Jesus. God will initiate us, be our leader, and give us the greatest cause if we will allow Him.
"Father, show me where I have lost heart as a Warrior. What did I miss here? What was wounded, and what was surrendered? Take me back to those times and places when the Warrior in me was shut down. Awaken and restore the Warrior heart in me. Train me. Show me what I have surrendered, where I am waling in passivity. Teach me an unyielding heart. Rouse me. I am willing. I am yours."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Thursday, October 10, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 8: Warrior, part 3
"The warrior is hardwired into every man. This is true because he is made in the image of God, who is the Great Warrior. Like Father, like son. It is true because it constitutes a great part of man's mission here on earth - to join the Great Warrior in his battle against evil. It is this aggressive nature that will enable us to overcome the passivity and paralysis we inherited from Adam. In fact, we are siding with one or the other - the Warrior or the paralyzed man - in every decision we make, every day. Encouraging the Warrior as it begins to come into full force in a young man's life will be a great help to him as the years unfold, for you and I know how hard the battle is if we've spent years in passivity."
If you've spent any time around boys you'll see the warrior in them. No matter what they are doing or playing with, something will become some sort of weapon. Gun, sword, etc. It doesn't matter what it is, it just happens. I still find myself doing this at times. It happens, and it's supposed to. A man is a warrior, don't try to stop it. I remember when I was a child my cousins and I didn't have access to toy guns at one point. They had some toy tools, and so we pretended that the drills were handguns. My aunt yelled at us and told us to stop.
You have the parents who won't allow their children to play with toy weapons because they don't want them to grow up and be violent. Saying no does a lot of harm and it denies a boy the chance to do what he was created to do. Instead, a boy must be taught how to use a weapon properly. He needs to learn that they are dangerous and that they can take life. When I teach my boys to shoot in the future the first lesson they will learn is, "Never point this at something you don't want to kill, and as soon as you squeeze the trigger you are no longer in control of that bullet."
It is crucial that we encourage and train boys to be warriors. He was made for this purpose, and without the encouragement and training he will either be passive or violent. We can train boys and help them find their place in the epic story, or fail them and let them wander unsure through life and wind up like the scribe in Gladiator. Do you want your son to be the scribe or Maximus? Who do you want to be?
"The heart of the Warrior says, 'I will not let evil have its way. There are some things that cannot be endured. I've got to do something. There is freedom to be had.' The heart of the Warrior says, 'I will put myself on the line for you.' That is why it must come before the Lover stage, for he will need to do that time and time again in his marriage, and it is passivity that has broken the heart of many women. The Warrior nature is fierce, and brave, ready to confront evil, ready to go into battle. This is the time for a young mane to stop saying, 'Why is life so hard?' He takes the hardness as the call to fight, to rise up, take it on. He learns to 'set his face like a fling.' as Jesus had to do to fulfill his life's great mission."
A young man must be taught to stand up to evil, and in order for him to have the courage to do so, he must be trained and prepared for the hardships. He must have a warrior’s heart. And standing up to evil isn't an easy task. If he does, it's going to be difficult and full of hardships. That's why he must be a warrior. "How much hardship a man will endure, how long and tenaciously he will persevere is determined by the amount of Warrior within him."
Two things come to my mind from the Rocky movies when I read that. One comes from Rocky IV, as the plane lands in Russia there is a song playing, and the second verse contains these words:
In the warriors code there's no surrender
Though his body says stop his spirit cries - never!
Deep in our soul a quiet ember knows it's you against you
It's the paradox that drives us on
It's a battle of wills
In the heat of attack it's the passion that kills
The victory is yours alone
It's one of those songs I love to run/work out to. That mentality of I can, and will, push through this. "The time of the Warrior is the time of learning discipline, a concentration of body, mind, and spirit... when all hell breaks loose on the battlefield, a man has to have something to fall back on other than emotion. Spirits are high before you actually meet the enemy, but in the chaos of warfare high spirits can vanish in an instant." A warrior must be self-disciplined if he is going to survive and be victorious. He must never surrender and constantly push himself forward.
The second thing that I think of is from Rocky Balbo. "Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!"
"The church has largely presented discipline as 'kill your heart and just do the right things.' That is terrible. It wearies the soul, and ends up destroying the heart - the very faculty you will need in the face of great trial and testing. Good discipline harnesses the passions, rather than killing them... A young man will need this strength of heart, whether to finish his PhD, or to hold fast his convictions under persecution, or to master an art form - all of which take great discipline, fueled by passion."
Without his heart and passions, a warrior cannot survive. Proverbs 18.14 says, "The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but as for a broken spirit who can bear it?" Proverbs 17.22 tells us, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." Nothing will suck the life out of you faster than having no passion, no goal, no drive. There are days that the only thing that keeps me going is my hope for the future, my belief, however faint it may be, that things will get better. The warrior must be determined, and never surrender his heart of his passion.
One final thought from Rocky. In Rocky III we hear the song "Eye of the Tiger", another one that's a personal preference for physical activity. We find these words in the verses:
Rising up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive
So many times it happens too fast
You change your passion for glory
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive
...
Face to face, out in the heat
Hanging tough, staying hungry
They stack the odds 'til we take to the street
For the kill with the skill to survive
...
Rising up, straight to the top
Had the guts, got the glory
Went the distance, now I'm not going to stop
Just a man and his will to survive
"This is absolutely essential to the Warrior, to develop an unyielding heart. This is where we will be most profoundly tested... I will not yield, I will not be a quitter - that is the Warrior coming out... The Warrior must learn to yield his heart to nothing. Not to kill his heart for fear of falling into temptation, but to protect his heart for more noble things, to keep the integrity of his heart as a great reservoir of passionate strength and holy desire."
I didn't realize that this was going to be so long when I started writing today, and as I've written my heart has been stirring. Yes, life is insanely hard right now, and nothing is ideal. As soon as things seem to be falling into place, something comes along to knock us back down. I've been ready to give up so many times, but I haven't, a big part of it is because of the responsibility I have to my wife. I'm in the middle of a battle right now. The world has knocked me to my knees and is trying to do everything it can to keep me there. Honestly, I'm tired of trying to get back up. Part of me wants to just curl up and take the hits until it’s over, but that's not what a warrior does. And eventually, I'll get up and the tables will turn.
"By the way - there is a place for comfort in the masculine journey, a place for mercy and rest and being ministered to. It's not all trial and test and battle, not by any means. It's just that most often, good comfort comes after the fight, and is so much more enjoyable in this way. One of the spoils of war."
The battle will end, but not without a fight. We are warriors, and warriors endure to victory.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
If you've spent any time around boys you'll see the warrior in them. No matter what they are doing or playing with, something will become some sort of weapon. Gun, sword, etc. It doesn't matter what it is, it just happens. I still find myself doing this at times. It happens, and it's supposed to. A man is a warrior, don't try to stop it. I remember when I was a child my cousins and I didn't have access to toy guns at one point. They had some toy tools, and so we pretended that the drills were handguns. My aunt yelled at us and told us to stop.
You have the parents who won't allow their children to play with toy weapons because they don't want them to grow up and be violent. Saying no does a lot of harm and it denies a boy the chance to do what he was created to do. Instead, a boy must be taught how to use a weapon properly. He needs to learn that they are dangerous and that they can take life. When I teach my boys to shoot in the future the first lesson they will learn is, "Never point this at something you don't want to kill, and as soon as you squeeze the trigger you are no longer in control of that bullet."
It is crucial that we encourage and train boys to be warriors. He was made for this purpose, and without the encouragement and training he will either be passive or violent. We can train boys and help them find their place in the epic story, or fail them and let them wander unsure through life and wind up like the scribe in Gladiator. Do you want your son to be the scribe or Maximus? Who do you want to be?
"The heart of the Warrior says, 'I will not let evil have its way. There are some things that cannot be endured. I've got to do something. There is freedom to be had.' The heart of the Warrior says, 'I will put myself on the line for you.' That is why it must come before the Lover stage, for he will need to do that time and time again in his marriage, and it is passivity that has broken the heart of many women. The Warrior nature is fierce, and brave, ready to confront evil, ready to go into battle. This is the time for a young mane to stop saying, 'Why is life so hard?' He takes the hardness as the call to fight, to rise up, take it on. He learns to 'set his face like a fling.' as Jesus had to do to fulfill his life's great mission."
A young man must be taught to stand up to evil, and in order for him to have the courage to do so, he must be trained and prepared for the hardships. He must have a warrior’s heart. And standing up to evil isn't an easy task. If he does, it's going to be difficult and full of hardships. That's why he must be a warrior. "How much hardship a man will endure, how long and tenaciously he will persevere is determined by the amount of Warrior within him."
Two things come to my mind from the Rocky movies when I read that. One comes from Rocky IV, as the plane lands in Russia there is a song playing, and the second verse contains these words:
In the warriors code there's no surrender
Though his body says stop his spirit cries - never!
Deep in our soul a quiet ember knows it's you against you
It's the paradox that drives us on
It's a battle of wills
In the heat of attack it's the passion that kills
The victory is yours alone
It's one of those songs I love to run/work out to. That mentality of I can, and will, push through this. "The time of the Warrior is the time of learning discipline, a concentration of body, mind, and spirit... when all hell breaks loose on the battlefield, a man has to have something to fall back on other than emotion. Spirits are high before you actually meet the enemy, but in the chaos of warfare high spirits can vanish in an instant." A warrior must be self-disciplined if he is going to survive and be victorious. He must never surrender and constantly push himself forward.
The second thing that I think of is from Rocky Balbo. "Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!"
"The church has largely presented discipline as 'kill your heart and just do the right things.' That is terrible. It wearies the soul, and ends up destroying the heart - the very faculty you will need in the face of great trial and testing. Good discipline harnesses the passions, rather than killing them... A young man will need this strength of heart, whether to finish his PhD, or to hold fast his convictions under persecution, or to master an art form - all of which take great discipline, fueled by passion."
Without his heart and passions, a warrior cannot survive. Proverbs 18.14 says, "The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but as for a broken spirit who can bear it?" Proverbs 17.22 tells us, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." Nothing will suck the life out of you faster than having no passion, no goal, no drive. There are days that the only thing that keeps me going is my hope for the future, my belief, however faint it may be, that things will get better. The warrior must be determined, and never surrender his heart of his passion.
One final thought from Rocky. In Rocky III we hear the song "Eye of the Tiger", another one that's a personal preference for physical activity. We find these words in the verses:
Rising up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive
So many times it happens too fast
You change your passion for glory
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive
...
Face to face, out in the heat
Hanging tough, staying hungry
They stack the odds 'til we take to the street
For the kill with the skill to survive
...
Rising up, straight to the top
Had the guts, got the glory
Went the distance, now I'm not going to stop
Just a man and his will to survive
"This is absolutely essential to the Warrior, to develop an unyielding heart. This is where we will be most profoundly tested... I will not yield, I will not be a quitter - that is the Warrior coming out... The Warrior must learn to yield his heart to nothing. Not to kill his heart for fear of falling into temptation, but to protect his heart for more noble things, to keep the integrity of his heart as a great reservoir of passionate strength and holy desire."
I didn't realize that this was going to be so long when I started writing today, and as I've written my heart has been stirring. Yes, life is insanely hard right now, and nothing is ideal. As soon as things seem to be falling into place, something comes along to knock us back down. I've been ready to give up so many times, but I haven't, a big part of it is because of the responsibility I have to my wife. I'm in the middle of a battle right now. The world has knocked me to my knees and is trying to do everything it can to keep me there. Honestly, I'm tired of trying to get back up. Part of me wants to just curl up and take the hits until it’s over, but that's not what a warrior does. And eventually, I'll get up and the tables will turn.
"By the way - there is a place for comfort in the masculine journey, a place for mercy and rest and being ministered to. It's not all trial and test and battle, not by any means. It's just that most often, good comfort comes after the fight, and is so much more enjoyable in this way. One of the spoils of war."
The battle will end, but not without a fight. We are warriors, and warriors endure to victory.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 8: Warrior, part 2
Man was made to be a warrior. Sadly, for thousands of years, many have refused. John mentions Israel's refusal to take the Promised Land after the spies bring back the report of giants and walled cities. They have seen God work wonders as He brought them out of Egypt, led them through the Red Sea, and then provided for them in the desert, but when the time comes to grab hold of His promise, they shrink from the call, and refuse to play their part.
"Their decision not to fight is what led to their wandering in the wilderness for forty years. We often cite that part of the story, talking about our own wilderness experiences, embracing the wilderness saga as if it were inevitable. No, that is not the lesson at all. We have forgotten it was avoidable. The reason they took the lamentable detour into the wilderness was because they would not fight. To be more precise, the wilderness was a punishment, the consequence of refusing to trust God, and fight."
Writing that makes me wonder about my current circumstances. Am I where I am because I've failed to fight for something? Am I stuck here because there is a battle I'm refusing to fight? Am I failing, or refusing, to be the warrior?
The reaction of Israel is one that we can see time and time again. Yes, war is a terrible thing, but hating it and saying we shouldn't get involved in one doesn't change the reality that it is out there. And yet that is what we try to do time and again. "What is it in human nature that just won't face the reality of war?" I remember a message a friend of mine gave a little over a year ago from Luke 14. He ended with verses 31 and 32, "Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace." After the service we talked and I pointed out that the king has only two options, fight or negotiate for peace, because the war is coming to him. And by the way, there is no shame in negotiating for peace, it takes the strength of a warrior to be able to do that as well.
"We live in a world at war. We are supposed to fight back. It is apparently a difficult reality to embrace, as witnessed by the passivity that marks much of modern Christianity. We just want the Christian life to be all about the sweet love of Jesus. But that is not what's going on here. You may not like the situation, but that only makes it unattractive - it does not make it untrue."
We live in a world at war, and when we do fail it is due to passivity. Since the beginning that has been the case, and it is passivity that got us into this whole mess to begin with. Eve was deceived by the serpent, and then as we see in Genesis 3.6, "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate." Adam was right there watching, and he failed to play the warrior.
"Adam doesn’t engage, doesn't intervene, doesn't do a damn thing. He is created to act, endowed with the image of a mighty God who acts and intervenes dramatically. Adam did not, and whatever else got passed on to us men from the first man, we know that paralysis - another word for passivity - is certainly one of them... It is essential that a man overcome this inherent passivity, this paralysis we got from Adam that lies deep in our bones. To be a man we must, with the help of God, overcome it intentionally, repeatedly, on front after front across the season of our lives."
There is part of us that wants to take the easy way, that wants to run and hide. But that's also the part that makes us sick to our stomachs. It’s because deep down we know we were made to stand and fight. We know deep down that if something good is going to be protected we're the ones who have to fight for it. We know deep down that if evil wants to advance it has to do it over our dead bodies.
"The assumption is that whatever else a man might be, he ought to be a fighter. I noticed this assumption in the rosters of the tribes of Israel as they came out of Egypt. The families and clans are arranged and numbered as fighting men (Num. 1). And remember - these are not trained soldiers, but runaway slaves. I doubt any of them had held a weapon in his life, yet it is assumed that if he's a man, he's a fighting man. Given who and what he is, Scripture assumes that a man acts, a man intervenes. Passivity has no place in the lexicon of true masculinity. None. And to overcome passivity, God has set his warrior heart in every man."
In my book next to that paragraph I have a verse reference written, 1 Corinthians 16.13-14. "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." You might have seen it in the quotes section to the left. We are to act like men and be strong. We are to stand firm and alert, never letting evil advance. That is the role a man is created for. And there is the reminder that everything we do is to be done in love. Jesus said that the greatest love anyone can show is to lay down his life for his friends (John 15.13). It takes a warrior to do that. Every man dies, but not every man lays his life down.
God created us to be warriors who act, and He has given us His warrior heart. "Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it." You were made to be a warrior. "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
"Their decision not to fight is what led to their wandering in the wilderness for forty years. We often cite that part of the story, talking about our own wilderness experiences, embracing the wilderness saga as if it were inevitable. No, that is not the lesson at all. We have forgotten it was avoidable. The reason they took the lamentable detour into the wilderness was because they would not fight. To be more precise, the wilderness was a punishment, the consequence of refusing to trust God, and fight."
Writing that makes me wonder about my current circumstances. Am I where I am because I've failed to fight for something? Am I stuck here because there is a battle I'm refusing to fight? Am I failing, or refusing, to be the warrior?
The reaction of Israel is one that we can see time and time again. Yes, war is a terrible thing, but hating it and saying we shouldn't get involved in one doesn't change the reality that it is out there. And yet that is what we try to do time and again. "What is it in human nature that just won't face the reality of war?" I remember a message a friend of mine gave a little over a year ago from Luke 14. He ended with verses 31 and 32, "Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace." After the service we talked and I pointed out that the king has only two options, fight or negotiate for peace, because the war is coming to him. And by the way, there is no shame in negotiating for peace, it takes the strength of a warrior to be able to do that as well.
"We live in a world at war. We are supposed to fight back. It is apparently a difficult reality to embrace, as witnessed by the passivity that marks much of modern Christianity. We just want the Christian life to be all about the sweet love of Jesus. But that is not what's going on here. You may not like the situation, but that only makes it unattractive - it does not make it untrue."
We live in a world at war, and when we do fail it is due to passivity. Since the beginning that has been the case, and it is passivity that got us into this whole mess to begin with. Eve was deceived by the serpent, and then as we see in Genesis 3.6, "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate." Adam was right there watching, and he failed to play the warrior.
"Adam doesn’t engage, doesn't intervene, doesn't do a damn thing. He is created to act, endowed with the image of a mighty God who acts and intervenes dramatically. Adam did not, and whatever else got passed on to us men from the first man, we know that paralysis - another word for passivity - is certainly one of them... It is essential that a man overcome this inherent passivity, this paralysis we got from Adam that lies deep in our bones. To be a man we must, with the help of God, overcome it intentionally, repeatedly, on front after front across the season of our lives."
There is part of us that wants to take the easy way, that wants to run and hide. But that's also the part that makes us sick to our stomachs. It’s because deep down we know we were made to stand and fight. We know deep down that if something good is going to be protected we're the ones who have to fight for it. We know deep down that if evil wants to advance it has to do it over our dead bodies.
"The assumption is that whatever else a man might be, he ought to be a fighter. I noticed this assumption in the rosters of the tribes of Israel as they came out of Egypt. The families and clans are arranged and numbered as fighting men (Num. 1). And remember - these are not trained soldiers, but runaway slaves. I doubt any of them had held a weapon in his life, yet it is assumed that if he's a man, he's a fighting man. Given who and what he is, Scripture assumes that a man acts, a man intervenes. Passivity has no place in the lexicon of true masculinity. None. And to overcome passivity, God has set his warrior heart in every man."
In my book next to that paragraph I have a verse reference written, 1 Corinthians 16.13-14. "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." You might have seen it in the quotes section to the left. We are to act like men and be strong. We are to stand firm and alert, never letting evil advance. That is the role a man is created for. And there is the reminder that everything we do is to be done in love. Jesus said that the greatest love anyone can show is to lay down his life for his friends (John 15.13). It takes a warrior to do that. Every man dies, but not every man lays his life down.
God created us to be warriors who act, and He has given us His warrior heart. "Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it." You were made to be a warrior. "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Monday, October 7, 2013
The Way of the Wild Heart, Chapter 8: Warrior, part 1
"It may take time, and require repeated provocation, but eventually a man must come to realize that there are certain things in life worth fighting for. Perhaps, when we appreciate the truth of this, we can better understand the heart of God... Our God is a warrior, mighty and terrible in battle, and he leads armies. It is this God that man is made in the image of. I spoke of this in Wild at Heart, but some things bear repeating, because a man will be in a much better place to enter the stage of the Warrior if he knows this is thoroughly grounded in Scripture, supported by Scripture, compelled by Scripture."
For some reason the Church usually refuses to acknowledge this reality. War and fighting are seen as evil, and while I'll admit the fact that war is a terrible thing, we can't escape the reality that it exists in the world we live in. And because of that we must embrace the truth of Exodus 15.3, "The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name."
God stands for truth and justice; He fights for righteousness and holiness. He doesn't back down from a fight, instead He leads His people into battle. "Our God is a Warrior because there are certain things in life worth fighting for, must be fought for. He makes man a Warrior in his own image, because he intends for man to join him in that battle."
Men, we were made for war. We have strength and power so that we can be dangerous on the battlefield. We cannot run from this truth and hide, pretending that it doesn't exist or hoping that it will go away if we ignore it. If we don't take a stand, then we allow evil to trample all that is good.
"There are certain things worth fighting for. A marriage, for example, or the institution of marriage as a whole. Children, whether they are yours or not. Friendships will have to be fought for, as you've discovered by now, and churches, too, which seem bent on destroying themselves if they are not first destroyed by the enemy who hates them... Take anything good, true, or beautiful upon this earth and ask yourself, 'Can this be protected without a fight?'... Sometimes the battle has to strike close to home in order to rouse the Warrior in a man. Perhaps that is why God often allows it to strike so close to home."
What makes you angry? What breaks your heart? What are you going to do about it? Will you take a stand or sit down? Evil is a very real thing, and it has already corrupted so much because men have refused to be warriors. "Evil typically doesn't yield its hold willingly. It must be forced to surrender, or be destroyed." It takes a warrior to fight a battle. Only a warrior can emerge victorious.
Think about Gladiator. In the extended edition of the movie during the scene where Maximus is cutting out his Legionnaire tattoo we learn that one of the slaves is a scribe, he talks about how he can speak seven languages. The next day the gladiators are paired up and sent into the arena, guess who one of the first guys killed is? And guess who survives the battle?
Men, we must embrace the fact that we are made in the image of a warrior God, and called to be warriors fighting at His side. If we don't then we'll just helplessly watch all that is good and beautiful be corrupted and destroyed before we ourselves are killed by the same evil.
The battle rages all around us, lets arm ourselves, and join the fight.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
For some reason the Church usually refuses to acknowledge this reality. War and fighting are seen as evil, and while I'll admit the fact that war is a terrible thing, we can't escape the reality that it exists in the world we live in. And because of that we must embrace the truth of Exodus 15.3, "The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name."
God stands for truth and justice; He fights for righteousness and holiness. He doesn't back down from a fight, instead He leads His people into battle. "Our God is a Warrior because there are certain things in life worth fighting for, must be fought for. He makes man a Warrior in his own image, because he intends for man to join him in that battle."
Men, we were made for war. We have strength and power so that we can be dangerous on the battlefield. We cannot run from this truth and hide, pretending that it doesn't exist or hoping that it will go away if we ignore it. If we don't take a stand, then we allow evil to trample all that is good.
"There are certain things worth fighting for. A marriage, for example, or the institution of marriage as a whole. Children, whether they are yours or not. Friendships will have to be fought for, as you've discovered by now, and churches, too, which seem bent on destroying themselves if they are not first destroyed by the enemy who hates them... Take anything good, true, or beautiful upon this earth and ask yourself, 'Can this be protected without a fight?'... Sometimes the battle has to strike close to home in order to rouse the Warrior in a man. Perhaps that is why God often allows it to strike so close to home."
What makes you angry? What breaks your heart? What are you going to do about it? Will you take a stand or sit down? Evil is a very real thing, and it has already corrupted so much because men have refused to be warriors. "Evil typically doesn't yield its hold willingly. It must be forced to surrender, or be destroyed." It takes a warrior to fight a battle. Only a warrior can emerge victorious.
Think about Gladiator. In the extended edition of the movie during the scene where Maximus is cutting out his Legionnaire tattoo we learn that one of the slaves is a scribe, he talks about how he can speak seven languages. The next day the gladiators are paired up and sent into the arena, guess who one of the first guys killed is? And guess who survives the battle?
Men, we must embrace the fact that we are made in the image of a warrior God, and called to be warriors fighting at His side. If we don't then we'll just helplessly watch all that is good and beautiful be corrupted and destroyed before we ourselves are killed by the same evil.
The battle rages all around us, lets arm ourselves, and join the fight.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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