September 11 - Whats a real man
This past Thursday and Friday I spoke to the Easley and Liberty football teams. Anytime I speak to a football team I usually do something geared towards teamwork, not quitting etc. A football taste if you will. This time I did something a little different. I started with a question. What makes a real man? Instantly I began getting some goofy grins. So I addressed the topic of sex immediately. Asked the boys if getting lucky made you a man? They all just looked at me like I had no idea they were thinking of sex. Any common yard dog can get lucky, but that doesn't make him a man.
I continued with several others:
* Does being a great football player make you a man? No, just an athlete.
* Does having big biceps make you a man? No, just big arms.
* Does driving a truck jacked up and a gun in the rear window with a guy peeing stuck on the rear window make you a man? No, just a red neck.
* Does having a lot of money make you a man? No just someone considered rich.
The list continued until I felt they understood my point. The point I was trying to make was that the way the world views a man and the way God the Father views a man is two different animals. I then preceded to share what God says a real man is.
Ephesians 5:25-28
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her [26] to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, [27] and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. [28] In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
A real man is someone who grows up to love his wife in the same fashion as Christ loved the church, to the point of death. A real man is someone who can present himself without stain, wrinkle or blemish. Obviously no man can do this except Jesus, but were to strive for that goal. A real man is someone who provides for his family and loves his family. A real man is someone who doesn't run out on his wife and children when times get tough.
I wanted these young men to understand that I'd been exactly where they are. The only thing I wanted was to get lucky and play football. In fact, to play at a Division one school. That was my definition of a real man because that had been instilled into my head.
Was I ever wrong. Now I only desire to please Christ and not earthly pleasures. I want to be a good husband and Dad. I want to present myself to Christ without blemish or wrinkle.
I continued to ask each team if I was to dress up in one of their uniforms, pads and all, would that make me a member of their team? Obviously not, to old and slow. Wanted them to realize that just because we go to church, that doesn't make them Christians. For them to wear the uniform of Christ boldly and let people know what team they were on.
But I did finish by letting them know that if Jesus were here today and played football he'd do it full speed. Jesus would knock the opponent on his butt and very lovingly tell him, "I'll be back."
Looking forward to that day!
I continued with several others:
* Does being a great football player make you a man? No, just an athlete.
* Does having big biceps make you a man? No, just big arms.
* Does driving a truck jacked up and a gun in the rear window with a guy peeing stuck on the rear window make you a man? No, just a red neck.
* Does having a lot of money make you a man? No just someone considered rich.
The list continued until I felt they understood my point. The point I was trying to make was that the way the world views a man and the way God the Father views a man is two different animals. I then preceded to share what God says a real man is.
Ephesians 5:25-28
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her [26] to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, [27] and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. [28] In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
A real man is someone who grows up to love his wife in the same fashion as Christ loved the church, to the point of death. A real man is someone who can present himself without stain, wrinkle or blemish. Obviously no man can do this except Jesus, but were to strive for that goal. A real man is someone who provides for his family and loves his family. A real man is someone who doesn't run out on his wife and children when times get tough.
I wanted these young men to understand that I'd been exactly where they are. The only thing I wanted was to get lucky and play football. In fact, to play at a Division one school. That was my definition of a real man because that had been instilled into my head.
Was I ever wrong. Now I only desire to please Christ and not earthly pleasures. I want to be a good husband and Dad. I want to present myself to Christ without blemish or wrinkle.
I continued to ask each team if I was to dress up in one of their uniforms, pads and all, would that make me a member of their team? Obviously not, to old and slow. Wanted them to realize that just because we go to church, that doesn't make them Christians. For them to wear the uniform of Christ boldly and let people know what team they were on.
But I did finish by letting them know that if Jesus were here today and played football he'd do it full speed. Jesus would knock the opponent on his butt and very lovingly tell him, "I'll be back."
Looking forward to that day!
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