From Craig Swanson…

It is amazing how our culture and media shapes our thinking in so many ways. Movies, TV shows, commercials, talk shows – a constant barrage attacking the heart and soul of real masculinity. Sadly, we’ve bought most of the lies and it is reflected in the decline of the family today.

In the movies we have the tough, hard-hearted males – Rambo, Dirty Harry, John McLean and the Duke. Tough guys and heroes, but you wouldn’t want any of them to be your father. As a result of this distortion we have many young men growing up thinking they have to be the tough guy to be a man. Gangs, criminals and schoolyard bullies are the result.

TV shows constantly portray the husband and father as bumbling and stupid. Long gone are the days of Leave It to Beaver and Father Knows Best. I challenge you to find a strong husband and father role model on television today. This is not by accident and it has infected the attitudes and actions of both men and women in our society.  As a result we have passive men in the home who are afraid to lead. These same men tend to immerse themselves in work where they can get the respect and ego stroking from others. And the family suffers.

Look at how commercials portray men. All are 20-30 year old men who are basically still adolescents. Every beer commercial is about men acting like boys. The message is lay aside responsibility. You don’t have to grow up. Life is a party. These are powerful lies that are becoming the norm in our culture. I see so many men who never leave adolescence and the mindset that it is all about me. And the family suffers.

The Bible tells us that we were created in God’s image.  Real manhood is reflected in the image of God. Today’s cultural attack on men is really Satan’s assault on the character of God. Our enemy’s goal is to steal, kill and destroy the image of who God created us to be. To reflect God’s image (and therefore glorify Him), the Word of God calls us to be loving leaders, providers and protectors. We must battle the world system and our sinful, selfish nature to be the men God created us to be.

I challenge you to ask this question of yourself – “Has the culture or the Bible had more influence on the way I view what it means to be a man?” Let’s help each other be God’s man.