Real Men

I recently returned from a trip celebrating a thirty year relationship with a "real man".  An anniversary gets more special with each passing year especially in this media frenzied world where the lives of the rich and famous are splattered across our screens or magazines for all to see how not to live.  For many years I've reflected on the answer to the question: What is a real man?  And with each passing year, having good examples before me daily, I want to shout it to the world.  So here goes my shout!

A real man is one who pursues a woman of interest, marries her with the commitment "for better or for worse", lives with her, loves her, protects her and provides for her "as long as they both shall live".  This man does not shrink from this commitment; he grows in it, developing the spiritual muscles that give him the strength to do so.  He loves her through all the multitude of emotions she can display.  When she's a hormonal wreck, he takes her and holds her not needing to say a word but that she's secure in those protective arms.

I could go on, but briefly I'll say that men who marry and stray or those that don't marry but hop from bed to bed: "You are NOT real men and that is NOT a display of strength!"  Real strength is staying committed to one even when strongly tempted by another.

I mentioned daily examples:  One is the man with whom I've had to privilege to live.  But the most important One is Jesus Christ to whom both my husband and I committed our lives at the age of twenty-three.  He is the supreme example of a Real Man and that is exactly what He came to this world to do.  He committed to one purpose.  He gave up His rights to die for the sins of the world.  He is passionately protective of His bride, the church.  He suffered more than we'll ever comprehend to display the strength of devotion that guides us and gives us hope for each day.  He has been the example for this couple's commitment of thirty years.  And in Him alone will we have the strength to continue in a world run amuck.