Be The Man!

Times are tougher now than I have ever seen them in my lifetime.  I'm 45.  The one constant is Jesus.  If I don't embrace Him now, I will never persevere through this.  It's time for me to man up, but that is easier said than done.  What do I mean?  I mean it is difficult being the leader and head of the household right now.  When the economy is good and we all get to eat at Cold Stone once a month, take the fam to a movie and buy those extra shoes that you don't need, things seem to run more on auto pilot without to many hiccups.  When times are rough (like now) it takes more to be the man.  There is a lot of responsibility put on us men that are husbands and fathers.  Not just from society, but from God himself.  We are supposed to be the leaders, the thinkers, the providers, the care takers, and the rock for our families.  When everything else crumbles and goes to hell, we are the ones that our family looks to for strength, guidance, and assurance that they are going to be alright.  

I wish I could say "no problem, I'm there"  but I can't.  We as men have to fully embrace and surrender to Jesus to help us get through "it."  I'm not asking for Jesus to take this away from us, I'm just asking for His help to get us through it.  I believe you will do one of two things.  Fold your tent and get in line for government cheese, or become stronger because of it.  If you fold your tent, you have turned your back on God.  Some days it's tough to keep it together in front of my family.  As men we are (as John Eldridge says) "posers"  "How's it going Steve" "good!"  Liar.  We internalize so much that we either explode or implode.  Usually we explode on our families, and implode with a bottle.  My son had a question posed to him - when do you feel closest to Jesus?  I think now my logical answer would be when I am with Him.  I am with Him when I am in prayer  and reading my bible.  I ask myself that same question regarding my family.  Or reverse it and ask the reciprocal of the question - when do you feel most distant? When you aren't with them spending quality time.  You will either shun Him or run to Him, which is it?

At a men's night a few weeks back we were given dog tags imprinted with LIVE PURE, SPEAK TRUTH, RIGHT WRONGS, FOLLOW THE KING.  What a great set of parameters to adhere to as men.  If we can remember those simple things, we as men will automatically draw closer to Jesus, and we will make it through this and be the men that He wants us and expects us to be.  Get close to God, and He will get close to you.  Nobody puts it better than the great philosopher Phil Knight - "Just Do It"  Thank you Jesus for all that you do for me.  You are awesome!