The Mentality of Courage

As I stated last week, I was one of the speakers at the 'Maximum Man' conference our church held this past weekend.  My topic was on 'Leading Courageously'. So I explored a variety of issues related to leadership and courage.  

The most interesting thing that came out of that for me (and when you speak/teach, YOU are the primary one to benefit or be taught) was this idea that - as Robert Louis put it in Mens Fraternity - our #1 obstacle to courageous leadership is......our feelings!?  

Now, you may not have expected that to come out at a 'mens' conference, unless it was some kind of new-age, sensitive man conference - WHICH IT WAS NOT!  I would think, as far as emotions go, that anger would be the number 1 enemy for men, or maybe apathy.  But the more I think about it, the more I agree.  

When we run into conflict while trying to lead in the home, what happens?  Our wife doesn't agree, our kids don't follow instructions, and we...get our feelings hurt.  NO I DON'T, I GET MAD!  Right, but why?  What's the deeper issue?  Your opinion doesn't carry weight?  It doesn't count?  Nobody cares what you think anyway?  Nobody agrees with you?  Nobody 'cares' about you?  There's something else going on that triggers our reaction, and it's internal to us.  Do outside forces impact us?  Absolutely.  Do they dictate our response?  Probably, but they shouldn't.  Are you a victim?  Do you have a victim mentality?  Then you've given up.  You're not doing what 3 other speakers talked about at the conference.  Reject passivity, Accept Responsibility, and Expect a greater reward, both now and in eternity.  

Again, as Louis stated so well, we have turn our faces into the full gale force of our emotions and say "NO", I'm not giving in to you.  And we keep doing the right thing, whatever that is.  That's practicing mature manhood.

Do you think this applies to work as well?

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The Jeremiah Syndrome

For my first post on this blog, I'll share something that's been gnawing on me for some time.

How do we, as Christian men, live in a fallen world that attacks us for even suggesting that there's anything wrong with the manner in which the lost are living their lives? For merely offering up the thought that homosexuality is wrong, we are labeled bigots and hatemongers.

I have some liberal former classmates on my Facebook friend list, and I have to say...I've given heavy thought to removing them just so that I don't have to be subjected to their "fairness" propaganda, which usually ends up with me defending the God who spoke this universe into existence. It would sure be a lot easier if I didn't have to constantly defend the concept of righteousness to a world that is so thoroughly saturated in their depravity that they don't even realize they have a problem.

But is that the Christian thing to do? Just isolate myself in a little holy bubble? Surround myself with likeminded yes-men who believe as I do?

Jonah ran away from Ninevah because he knew God would have mercy on them once they turned from their wickedness. I feel like the "Ninevah's" in my sphere are more like hopeless causes who would never repent to begin with.

How did Jeremiah do it? How did he persist year after year, seemingly gaining nothing for his troubles but ridicule? How do you do it? I would particularly like to hear from Will Howlett on this issue.

Opportunities

Back to the spiritual then. 

How do you have 'joy' in difficult circumstances?

Should you view pain and trials as good?

Are difficulties evidence that God doesn't care?

I assert that we only grow when we're forced into doing it.

Why would we want to, or see a need to, otherwise?

We don't like it, but we should.

What if you looked at every 'negative' in your life as an opportunity for growth and maturity?

"We often pray for God to remove the very things in our life that He wants to use for our good and His glory."

Wayne Jacobsen, He Loves Me

Make the most of your opportunities.

Come on...

I know you're out there...