Mark Batterson's book has two major parts. The first one is Play the Man and the second is Make the Man.
In Play the Man, he uses Polycarp as the example. Polycarp was John's disciple, mentored likely in his old age. What that first inspires in me is that John, even at advanced age, not only wrote five books of the Bible, but the aged apostle in his latter years also made a disciple, Polycarp, who would himself later make a disciple named Irenaeus in his (Polycarp's) old age. That gives me hope that my life and my influence is not over, especially with you, my sons (and son-in-law, which technically counts as a son, SIL!).
Side-note: for abbreviation purposes, I am a FIL (Father in Law), not a Dad in Law, because that would be a DIL which sounds too much like a pickle or something worse; and I am not a Pops in Law, because that would be a PIL and definitely don't want to be a PIL ("Oh, yeah, my father in law is such a PILL!").
Mark Batterson lists seven manly virtues, beginning with tough, strong, brawny love. I have counseled young couples pretty much all throughout my ministry and I've learned and taught that the number one need of a wife is tough, strong, brawny love. I am glad Play the Man starts off with this virtue.
What are the three major loves of your life?
Number one of course should be to love God with all you got...heart, soul, mind, and strength. That's tough. I don't want to get long winded here today, the first day of the year, so just let you mind dwell on that today...Playing the man means being bold, daring, strong, tough in your love for God.
Maybe you see me as a man maybe that loves God too much, meaning that I am always writing about God on my blog, going to church, ministering to others. I think I can be perceived as loving God disproportionately ... but if I and you do this "love God with all you got" thing right and correctly, it will quickly lead to loving others right and correctly.
BE MACHO IN YOUR LOVE FOR GOD.
Secondly, we should love our wives toughly, strongly, heroically! That means fight off those things which endanger her! I have never had to beat up a guy in my love for Melissa. I've never killed anyone or did anything heroic like climb a mountain or take a bullet for her. But there are other types of heroism. Like getting mad and hating everything which is not love for her.
I hate porn. I hate adultery. I hate and get mad at my selfishness and childishness and things which she does not like. I even hate my work when it gets in the way of my love for her. So I think Mark's book points out how manly it is to love God and our wives, but there's one more major love of our lives.
That's, well, you, my sons and son(s?)-in-law. You are my third love. Maybe I should put family and neighbors in two different categories, but you know how I am about three points. God first, wife second, others third. If I could only alliterate those and include a poem and a sad story, I would have a good sermon!
In loving others, certainly family comes first in this third love category, but I think the best thing you can give your family is the knowledge that you love your God first and love your wife FIERCELY.
Love your kids, sons. Love your extended family (ouch, that still hurts that I, your dad, am now your "extended family" but it's true). But not in exclusion of loving others and not to the point to where they take the place of God first and wife second.
That's all I got for today. Except to say, I love you.
Dad/Pops
No comments:
Post a Comment