The Measure of a Man

I have recently been re-reading John Eldridge's book "Wild at Heart." My son and I have both read the book through at least three times. Eldridge does such an excellent job explaining why God created us the way he did.

There is something that captures the imagination of a man as he watches John Wayne draw his pistol from the holster, or Michael Jordan hit a jump shot from 30 feet with the game on the line. We love the violence of hockey and football because of the vicarious thrill of watching men go into battle.

God didn't design men to be spectators, he created us to be leaders. To fight for our families, stand up for the oppressed and defend the truth and honor of the bride of Christ. I believe that Theodore Roosevelt captures the heart of a "real man" in the following statement.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

In a few weeks the men of the Spring Meadows Church of Christ will be studying Wild at Heart on Wednesday evenings. I pray all of our men will come and bring friends. If you are inspired by Henry's speech at Agincourt or how Sir William Wallace rallied his men to go up against the superior forces of the English, or it may be you long to stand beside the 300 Spartan's as they hold off the Persians at the pass at Thermopylae. If this describes you then join us for an epic adventure of manhood.