In today's society there is a dearth of real men. Most boys are wondering what a real man is, what he does, how he becomes one. For most, being a man is related to a driver's licence, sexual conquest, drinking, sports, age, etc. . .you can list em'. But all these things smack of macho more than manhood.
I need to give credit where credit is due. . .I got most of the principles and ideas I will share from a book I read years ago, Raising a Modern Day Knight by Robert Lewis. In this book Mr. Lewis outlines the best definition of manhood I have come across. He also shares why and how to establish rites of passage for boys; to teach and reinforce the principles of real manhood. Without further ado, a real man. . .
Rejects Passivity - Hey guys, we tend to be passive, and passive aggressive. Most of the time it is small stuff. . .
Whatcha wanna watch tonight?
I dunno, whatever.
Comedy or romance?
Uh, whatever you wanna watch is fine.
Give me an idea!
Ok, what ever movie you want to see, lets watch that.
Aaaaagh!
Although this will drive your women nuts, this is not the stuff I'm talking about, I'm talking about the big stuff.Honey, our son has been really aggressive lately. . .what should we do?
I dunno, whatever.
Well, how should we handle this?
Uh, whatever you wanna do is fine.
Give me an idea!
Ok, what ever you want to do, lets do that.
Aaaaaagh!
I'm not saying you should always have or know the answer to every big issue that comes up, but you do need to get off your butt and work to find the answer/s. Engage! Be involved! Muster mind, manpower, and resources! Be a companion in finding solutions and resolving issues. REJECT PASSIVITY!
Congratulations, you have taken your first step into real manhood. Next, a real man. . .
Accepts Responsibility
"The price of greatness is responsibility." - Sir Winston Leonard Spenser Churchill
Accepting responsibility is about being accountable -- accountable for the choices and decisions you make and their consequences. A real man is accountable to his God, to his conscience, to his wife/wives, to his family, and to his role in the world at large.
You should own your victories and your mistakes and learn from them both.
Leads Courageously
Women need security and stability. In the absence of leadership, a woman will step in to fill the void. Don't be that void. True leadership consists of searching for wisdom to know the right, having the will to choose it, and finding the strength to make it endure (10 points if you can figure out where I got that from). Search and find the right vision for you and your family, share that vision, and be courageous in leading your family in pursuit of that vision.
Seeks the Greater Reward
Discipline is a mark of manhood, putting off what you want now for what you want most. Doing what is hard to achieve what is best. Saying no wrong and yes to what is right.
I believe real men inspire the confidence of their wives and family. It becomes a delight for your wife/wives to honor and obey you.
3 comments:
Thank you for this post, now I know why it's so easy to honor and obay my husband...cuz he's a REAL MAN!!
Are your wives doing these things? If so, why are they not posting? Do they not 'honor' you?
I have generated quite a few comments from anonymous. . .
Anonymous 1 - I'm glad to hear you have a great husband, let him know that you feel that way. He'll appreciate the boost.
Anonymous 2 - I think my wives try to do these things most of the time. Sometimes they are more succesful at them than others, like anyone else. I know I could certainly do better for my part.
I don't think I mentioned posting as one of the ways to "honor" your husband - although I like the idea. My wives tend to be pretty private and they comment when they feel like it. They do tend to comment regularly.
One more thing to clear up...my wives did not inspire this series of posts. It was actually a post on another blog that got my wheels spinning and prompted these past couple of posts. I don't use my blog to lecture my wives - I'd lose two of my regular readers that way.
Thanks
FF
Post a Comment