I came across an article called, The Truth about Men. The author seems to feel that Christian Manhood can be Illustrated with this list of behaviors from women.It’s articles like this that make me feel angry for the way some portray men. It seems to follow the opinion that being a man of God depends on Women to make them so. Everything women do, say, believe, act, etc. is responsible for how men become men. For some reason men – they seem to hint – they are unable to handle the journey themselves with God’s help. God can’t transform them, but it is dependent on women to treat them just so. This belief system is so childish. GROW UP ALREADY!
A man NEEDS to be the man God has created him to be. Since the beginning of time, God has instructed man to tend, guard and care for all that was on the earth. It is only natural that he will have that very same desire to do the same for the woman he loves, so please let him. Scripture tells us that after God formed man, He fashioned woman and presented her to him as one of God's most precious gifts. Allow him to see you as the gift you were fashioned to be.Being a man of God is dependent on the man, and their efforts toward being what God wishes them to be. He can SEE the gift if he views women through the lenses God asks him to. Its that simple! The bible is very clear how we are to treat others EVEN if we don’t care for them. Its not dependent on them at all. We would never get anything done in God’s name if it were. That’s just plain common sense! This belief system is full of entitlement and narcissism. Its not a biblical role! It’s man made doctrine, and it will fail people because you don’t depend on God but others.
I’m not saying that as humans we can’t have others help us in life’s journey. God placed people in our path for a reason – his reason. We will all have people in our life's that are a source of encouragement among other things. We will also have some that are a source of dread. We can't use those people that bring hurt into our life's as an excuse NOT to be what God ‘fashioned’ us to be. Our spiritual journey would halt before it even got started if we did!
THINK about that for a moment! Do we need others to be a certain way to be proper Christian? To be the way Jesus asks us to be? That is what this author is saying. Its not true for ANYONE! For all the speeches on the ‘weaker vessel’, and the stereotypes they place out there about women? Lets be honest and say if man were depend on woman? IGNORING the fact that man teaches women are to be dependent on THEM (among stereotypes in the other direction)….we are all screwed! The gender deal can’t do it for US! Why is this so hard to wrap their heads around?
Notice how they left God out completely! His word means nothing. It becomes a tool for an agenda instead.
To me this type of thinking is considered tunnel vision. I can only tend, guard and care for things IF they are as I need them to be. He is basically stating that others are responsible for his actions. THEY MADE ME! People in general tend to use this type of excuse all the time. Its not just men. Its been a popular way of thinking for ages – if not forever! I can only treat people the way they need to be treated if they can be x, y and z. In other words, our behavior is not dependent on what God asks of us but of our perceived treatment from others. People in general will always be disappointed I have to admit. Poor things.
Notice how Jesus treated those that were looked down upon in the society he was in at the time. He saw them as God’s children WITHOUT the list of rules to ‘allow’ him to see them this way. Jesus came because MAN is not capable of caring, guarding, and tending to this world the way it should be. We need him. The human race has a bad track record – YES even within the church – and the fault lays in sin.
When Paul was jailed, and it was written that he converted his jailers. Was it dependent on their treatment of him? Did David become what God was leading him towards due to the treatment from Saul? I would assume the jailers at one time, and YES Saul was beyond acting ugly. If you apply this author’s way of thinking – it’s a wonder they got anything accomplished!
Can you imagine some poor man’s reaction to God once he reaches Heaven, and gives God the excuse that he didn’t treat women as you asked me too BECAUSE they didn’t let me FEEL my position as a MAN! I need Christian Manhood Illustrated! They didn’t HELP ME GOD!
I’m sorry but it reminds me of a whiner. Doesn’t it?
This type of tunnel vision makes people weak and wimpy. It makes us dependent on others to be the person God had in mind. Humans will always fail us, so why concentrate on this dependency? Let just say it…it’s a bigoted view, and helps no one.
Remember God makes ‘Godly’ men – not women! The same principal applies the other way around.
God please help me see what you have in mind for me, and help me do as you wish me to do. Help me pull off my own lenses of dependency on things that should not be. In Jesus name…AMEN!
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4 comments:
This is so good Hannah.
I got a bit lost with the word "gentleman" though. I thought the article was written by a woman. I think R'chelle is a feminine name, but I could be wrong. I couldn't find "R'chelle Cyrus-Hughes" on the internet anywhere(?)
I thought the opening paragraph of R'chelle's article was appalling. This paragraph was perfect if the author's intention was to make women feel insecure, guilty and shamed.
There was nothing encouraging or positive in the article.
Marg - you could very correct about the gender. I looked at the name very quickly, and I guess I assumed it was a man. I have heard to many preachers say just about the same thing sadly.
I guess I should change that part! lol I will change it unisex to drive them all batty!
This seems like one of those pieces that's written to make women feel empowered in the face of a dis-empowering gender doctrine that is in mainstream Christianity.
Women are told that their role in life is more limited than their husband's, that he is the final decision maker, that God leads through him rather than her, etc. etc. This naturally makes women feel inferior. Ministers and writers and bloggers pick up on these women's uncertainty about their place, and so have to put a "spin" on the men-lead-women doctrine to trick the women into thinking that THEY are actually the all-powerful ones with the secret abilities.
In reality, God created us with equal dignity and responsibility. Maybe if churches taught the equal value of both genders, we wouldn't spend so much time having to assure each gender that they really do matter.
I found a blog by R'chelle. She is a woman.
I just reread her blog post "The Truth ..."
http://rchellecyrushughes.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/women-learn-the-truth-about-men/
It is such a dangerous post. She makes such exaggerated, sweeping statements: "all the world to see", "he will always be driven by pursuit" "God has made man to be warriors ... to withstand all that comes along"
Her narrow description of men as strong warriors with a penchant to conquer and pursue, fails to take into account the spectrum of masculinity and the diversity of personalities and temperaments of real men. I know plenty of real men who don't come close to being warriors and conquerors.
The extent of responsibility and the guilt she places on women is irresponsible on her part. Her opening paragraph leaves no room for God's grace or forgiveness. Thankfully God has erased many of my mistakes on my "canvas" - a canvas that very few people will see, as opposed to "all the world".
R'chelle seems overly concerned about a woman's image and how we look to men. And she mentions women's wiles. There seems to be a lack of appreciation and trust of genuine, straight forward, honest women from R'chelle.
I disagree with just about everything R'chelle has said. Her article is far from the Truth About Men. I have no idea why anyone would want to repost it.
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