Men are people too.
Sounds like an idiotic, redundant statement, but it seems to be one that many women forget.
Since my childhood, I've been overhearing conversations (or been forced to be in a conversation) where men are berated and over-generalized to the point of disgust and distain. It is dehumanizing.
And yes, I know some men that live up to what I've heard.
But, I also know a lot of amazing guys. Men that are strong and weak and powerful and sensitive. Men that laugh and cry and hurt and rejoice and seek hard after God's heart. I know men who are willing to go anywhere and do anything for Jesus because they love Him so much. I know men who will gladly give their lives for many or for just one. I have often been brought to tears over their love and dedication for the gospel, and from their compassion for people of the world.
I have also been brought to tears over the oppression of such Godly men. It is a pattern that is becoming a problem. And, it comes through the mouths of women. It comes through slander and a presumption that men are genetically wired to be mindless, irresponsible oafs. The slander is born out of bitterness from hurts and over-generalizations that women too easily justify. And, I get it. I'm a girl too. I've been mistreated by men before. And, I've counseled many other women who have been abused and oppressed. But, I'm not talking about social justice here. I am talking about crushing the spirits of a people group by stating the idiocy of their gender as a whole because of the crimes of some. I can assure you that the rights of women are not furthered by crushing all men with verbal sledge hammers.
It may seem subtle, but don't be fooled into thinking that this constant stream of negativity is not heard by the guys. I have seen (up close) the hurts that come from this negative onslaught. These words become deep-rooted problems among men and boys who are struggling to find their identity. I have heard testimony from men who are pre-defeated as they embark on their quest to discover their identity and purpose among God's army.
You know the conversations and statements I'm talking about. The ones that put limitations, demands, or gross generalizations on guys. The ideas that spew the disgust that all men are idiots and perverts. I don't need to write out all the conversations. My point here is to help women realize what they are doing. Girls have to stop spitting those curses over the men for which we are crying out. It is a deadly venom. It is a manipulation with a tragic result. Male-bashing is verbally castrating men, while inciting innocent women to anger and bitterness.
How is a boy or a man supposed to know his true identity in Christ, if women are constantly undercutting them for their faults (real or assumed)? The grace and love that girls demand from men is not being given by the women making the demands. Somewhere in a desire for equal and fair treatment, in a desire to be loved and cherished....a cry has turned sour and many women are missing the fact that they are tearing down and putting limits on other PEOPLE. Remember them. Don't forget that the guys in your life are people too. Is it fair to deny them the love, support and encouragement that we desire? How can we expect a group of people to rise and walk and pursue Jesus' heart when we continue to kick their very legs out from under them? We can't expect them to be strong and healthy leaders and lovers while degrading and discouraging them. Jesus sees the value of them as people, as His own children. We must as well.
No man can find his identity in Christ if he is constantly being told that his identity should be what women say it is, rather than serving them in order to show the Father's heart to their hearts.
Can you imagine the change that would occur if we truly served men, encouraged them, were faithful in action and in speech, lifted them up, and spurred them on to discover God's heart in more and more intimate ways?
Anger may rise up because I used the word serve. But wait...isn't this what Jesus asked of true, powerful leaders?
While I wasn't talking about it before, I've realized in the course of writing this, that social injustices can only be corrected at the very heart of mankind. One's worldview must change and that changes in the heart. We can only change men's hearts if God gives us access to them. Jesus gave us the key to unlocking this door into people. It is to become the servant of all. Men and women. This is where true power lies. If I want to be the kind of person, mother, wife, and friend that is powerful in all areas, I need to serve and love and care for anyone Jesus loves. To serve people is to serve God. Men are people too....even those men who say or act as if I am less than who I know I am.
In light of this information...I'm issuing a call to start a new army.
This army will value people and will go after them no matter who they are and no matter what the cost. This army will feel this value of people so strongly that they will seek to love, serve, forgive and rescue others with a reckless abandonment that the world has yet to see. This army will go to the places and people the church has chosen to overlook. This commitment will mean an extreme death to self. This death will include our rights, our reputations, our time, our finances. There is no room for entitlement in your heart or trash talking from your mouth when you are consistently sacrificing yourself on the altar so someone else can know Jesus's love and His identity for them. Wouldn't you want to be lavishly loved with this extreme force? This army will give it all over and over again to see ALL PEOPLE lifted up into His arms and thrust forward into their real destiny. This army will not cripple itself by speaking curses against its own people. This army will speak life. And, we have the assurance of God Himself that we will win.
You should enlist.
