Thursday, February 25, 2010

Warriors


Our culture is trying hard to thwart the deep desire in little boys to be warriors. There is something deep down in every masculine heart that wants to be the hero on the white horse riding into victorious battle. "Boys will be boys," the saying goes- usually spoken in a negative tone. Institutions tell them to sit still and be quiet with their hands folded in their lap. Why can't they be more nice like little girls? Because little girls aren't the ones who will take up arms in 20 years to fight for our freedom and safety, that's why.

The truth is that we should WANT little boys to learn to fight. If we drain the fight out of them, they'll be drifting 30-something men without a clue of what it means to be a man. They key is teaching them discernment- choosing battles rightly. God designed us to have a mission to fight for- namely the forceful expansion of His Kingdom. (Matt. 11:12)

Anybody who doesn't believe that little boys are born with a warrior's heart haven't had little boys of their own. My boys are always testing themselves on me. And, for now, they adore my strength. But one day they will be strong enough to protect even me. And so I won't allow the fight to be drained from them- I will just direct their energies in the right direction. And what a privilege it is to be responsible for their development as warriors!