Through the perfect implementation of an unbiased, double-blind study taken to compare this month of “manistry” to the previous five months, here are some staggering statistics.
Living with a co-ed team and living with all guys, are two very different experiences.
Let me preface this by saying I love the women on our squad. I have made some great friends, and am amazed at how many strong, confident women we have on our squad. This is the first time in my life that I have been in daily community with women with whom I have platonic friendships.
It has been a huge blessing to spend the last five months developing friendships with women, something I honestly had little experience with in recent years, but living with one other guy and six or seven women can get exhausting after five months. Bottom line, I believe we are wired differently.
While I missed the ladies on our squad, this month I have been blessed with getting poured into by a strong community of men who are also seeking God. Half-way through the World Race, I have been filled up and rejuvenated. A lot of it has come out through creativity, study, prayer, preaching, and just an overall level of joy and fun.
To be clear, I don’t think it is necessary to be on a team of all men or all women in order to grow. However, I do think it has helped me realize something.
We all strive to confidently be ourselves, and to walk in our full identity around everyone with whom we interact. But, before we can be ourselves to everyone, we have to learn to be ourselves to someone. Being with all men or all women is conducive to a level of freedom to unabashedly be who we are. I have a couple of female friends who I feel that freedom, but it’s just not as common. It’s been a breath of fresh air to revisit that cliché atmosphere of “hanging out with the guys” for an entire month after being away from it for 6 months.
The importance of that comfort is to dive further into who we are and share that with each other. One of the ways I have experienced God’s radical love and grace, is through the radical love and grace I have received from my friends.
The point is not to burp, fart, and laugh at anyone who has feelings. I wasted a lot of time in my past with that mentality, and I was a boy hanging out with boys.
It actually has nothing to do with being the same gender. Married couples have done this forever. As a single male, though, I personally find it easier to relate with other guys. Whoever we are with, if we share who we are with a community who accepts us, we grow more in confidence and learn more about ourselves. We become comfortable to be uncomfortable, express emotions, work through disagreements, and grow as men or women of God.
Challenge:
I challenge anyone reading this to step out and be vulnerable. Share something that might be scary, or uncomfortable to share, with someone this week. It can be a huge blessing to both people involved, and often leaves an impression of God’s radical love and acceptance.
If Jesus had a “Follow Me” button, I would tell you to click it. But he doesn’t, so you should click mine on the side menu.
