It seems like our society has been stripping men of their masculinity. Do this, don’t do that, be this, don’t be that. Stop being strong, stop being protective, stop being… a MAN. It all essentially boils down to this mold that people have created for men. You must do this, this, and this in order to avoid offending anyone (or just to avoid making women feel belittled).
To the men: Stop trying to fit a mold. Be who God created you to be; figure out exactly what it means to be a man. And then BE one. Without holding back. Because guess the heck what! “The world CRIES for men who are strong, strong in conviction, strong to lead, to stand, to suffer.” (Elisabeth Elliot).
To all the dudes out there, I need you. This WORLD needs you, now more than ever. But we don’t just need typical men. We need real men… Men who will protect, lead, and love people well.
This world needs men like my Dad who will tell me that I’m beautiful even when my face is bare of any makeup and I’m wearing a weird outfit.
This world needs men who value intentionality.
This world needs men who see a woman’s heart and personality as more important than their body and outward appearance.
This world needs men who lead their families with wisdom and grace.
This world needs men who love their wives as Christ loves the Church; men who protect and sacrifice everything for the good of the ones they love.
This world needs men who understand and value the sacredness of marriage.
This world needs men who refuse to exploit and diminish women and girls; who lead in a way that is not bossy nor arrogant nor authoritarian; men who are humbly willing to bear the burden of leadership entrusted to them by their Creator.
This world needs men who know what it means to be a man; men who strive to be godly in all that they say and do; men base their entire lives off of God’s calling; men who sacrifice their own comfort and will protect women even if they don’t necessarily need it. In short, this world needs real men.
I need real men. As a woman, I need to know that all hope is not lost for the male race. Maybe that’s a wee bit extreme, but you get the point. I would not be the person I am today without the influence, encouragement, and leadership of so many different Godly, awesome men. When I’m around my Dad, I feel safe, comfortable, and cared for. He is constantly reminding me of who I am in Christ. He always tells me that I’m beautiful, even when I don’t feel like it. He loves my Mom with grace, humility, and a lot of humor. He always has a spare gun in the house incase any boys decide to waltz on in. I believe that all women need men like my Dad.
To all of the ladies reading this: I am fully aware that most people aren’t as fortunate as I am to have this kind of experience with men. Maybe your Dad has never been a part of your life, or maybe he was and then left. Maybe you had an abusive childhood filled with fear, and dreaded going home every day. Maybe you had a boyfriend who didn’t respect you, or treated you as if you were worthless. To any girl who has been hurt by a man: I am so sorry. I hope you can feel my heart break for you through these words… I can’t even imagine. You deserve to be treated as the princess that you are, nothing less.
BUT THERE IS HOPE. Please do not give up on the male race because some people on this earth were unable to realize the weight and power of what it means to be a real man. Don’t give up just yet.
No man will be able to match up to the man that God is. Unlike any earthly man could ever be, God is perfect. He FULLY knows you, and yet FULLY loves you. He is not afraid of anything. He will lead you with humility, grace, and kindness… not anger or force. He always wants what’s best for you. Lastly, he is a real man who loves without holding back and pursues with no agenda.
To the men: Although you will never be able to match up to the perfect man that Jesus Christ was when he walked this Earth, you can still reflect Him. Did you catch that? You cannot BE Him, but you can REFLECT Him. You can live out all that it means to be a true man of God and show women how much the Lord loves them. Jesus is the greatest example of what a man should be, and is the role model that all men should strive for.
So to wrap up all of these thoughts for you, “Dear Good, Strong Men: you are still wanted in this world. You are still appreciated in this world. And you are still needed in this world” (Jordan Dooley).
See you on the flippity flop.
-Lyss
