There’s something happening in my generation, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed. It’s almost like it’s become a trend to not grow up; to remain girls and boys who don’t care much about anything beyond the mirror.
Instead of becoming men and women
who can stand up for themselves because
they see their worth; instead of becoming men
and women rooted in honor and respect and truth;
instead of becoming people of faith who make the choice
to live or die by the words they preach.
It’s like we got stuck in childhood…and then got apathetic about it.
But. There’s a revival.
It’s like a tidal wave that’s breaking the calm surface of the water….it’s growing in strength and gaining speed and momentum – it’s quickly becoming unstoppable.
As girls are becoming the women God’s called them to be…
As boys are becoming the men God’s called them to be…
The wave grows in strength.
I began to see it happen while I was in Swaziland almost 2 years ago – both in Swazi men and women as well as in the men and women in my team…a thirst and a hunger for God that drove them from self-centered, childish living and into lifestyles of compassion, grace, honor, truth.
Lives focused on Christ instead of on themselves.
However.
This blog is titled “A Tribute to the MEN“. So, as I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, this blog focuses mainly on men. Go figure.
Two years ago was the first time I’d really felt respected and honored by men close to my age. These men were men of God – and I wasn’t used to seeing much of that in friendships at home. But even after I spent 62 days with men who really stood for truth and fought for my safety and my honor, I returned home and continued my lifestyle of carrying on certain friendships with boys who hadn’t yet grown up – instead of trying to find healthy friendships with men of God.
My standards for my male friendships dropped – and I found myself being walked on. Being mistreated. Being hurt. Disrespected. Used.
By the guys I called my friends. And I was ok with it.
I’ve allowed myself to be treated like that for most of my life, so it wasn’t breaking news or anything to me. I mean, Swaziland had been amazing – but I was back in my real life now…right??
Fastforward to training camp in Georgia for the World Race; end of July 2010. With Q, R, and S squads. So many people….and I knew NO ONE.
And so I spent some time observing. And I noticed some things really fast.
The guys?
They were unlike anything I’d ever seen. They…weren’t boys. They were men; crazy in love with Jesus; desiring to reach the nations for His name – and it seemed genuine.
The men on S-Squad took some time one night to declare some things to us, the women in the squad. They reminded us of our identity in Christ and promised to protect us and keep us safe…that we were their sisters and they’d defend us at all cost. They sincerely apologized on behalf of men in our lives who’ve caused us pain in our pasts – and with that apology came the promise that they would never intentionally hurt us. There was a lot of healing for the women that night.
It was in that moment that I caught a glimpse, a hint, of Jesus in the men in my squad.
Fastforward again…to Month Five on the WR. I’d figured that by now their promises would either have broken or that I would’ve been hurt or betrayed by one of them at least…such were my expectations of male friendships.
But.
God blew my expectations…He really likes doing that 🙂
Month 5, and those promises that were declared loudly from the mouths of young men have held true. Not only that, but those promises have been proven through months and months of daily evidence and example. They’ve shown me what respect looks like, what it sounds like. They’ve shown me that I have worth and value that must be fought for and defended…that I am not useless, weak, or insignificant.
Day in and day out, they prove their words to me – and I’ve really started to believe those words.
I’m not sure how to end this. It seems so lame to just type out “thanks guys!” and post this blog. So I guess….all of the above is a “thank you”…God’s using you to heal hearts; to heal MY heart. Because of you, I’m learning to respect myself and therefore let men respect me – and not accept anything less than that.
You’ve given me hope that men of God – men who listen to His voice, men who would die for me, men who would defend their sister till their last ounce of strength ran out, men who protect my honor and keep me safe, men who don’t tear me down with their words – that such men exist in my generation. You are proof that my hope is not in vain.
To the men in my life back home – you
know who you are – you are a blessing
in my life; I truly appreciate you.
And to boys and girls who might be
reading this who know that their growth has been stunted – GROW UP.
Break the mirror, break the mold.
I’m still learning what it means to be a woman of God.
….learn WITH me.
And watch as a generation defies gravity 🙂
