I used to grumble and complain about my father. He was hard, tough and didn't put up with much foolishness. If you talked back, disobeyed, or crossed him, he didn't put you in the quiet chair, give you time out, or stop to listen to the exigent circumstances - he simply knocked you into next week. If the boys in our home (and there were 5 of us) had a dispute, we were sent downstairs to settle it on the wrestling mats, or with some boxing gloves. Being the youngest I found that profoundly unfair.
But now, as I look around at a world that doesn't know what genuine manhood is about, I'm grateful. Seeing men talking about their feminine side, or courts sending men to sensitivity and anger management counseling for defending their families, or standing up for what they believe in - I'm thankful I was raised "old school."
I am glad my father taught me to handle a gun before I was 10. I appreciate my brothers who pushed me out the door and threatened bodily harm if I didn't stand up to bullies and jerks. A young man needs to learn to be able to take a punch and get back on his feet, better yet he needs to learn how to throw a punch that his opponent won't soon forget.
I like to hunt, I eat meat, I wear animal skins (love my leather biker jacket) and I believe cholesteral is what makes food taste great. I believe God placed the mantel of leadership on men and He must be awfully irritated that so many have abdicated their responsibility.
I won't apologize for enjoying ESPN, going to Ultimate Fight Competitions, or watching old John Wayne movies. I think football should be played without pads (like Rugby), and that motorcycles are better therapy than yoga, or walks in the park with a toy poodle.
Somehow our culture has come to the conclusion that leadership, courage, power, might and strength are the antithesis of love, compassion and tenderness, but nothing is further from the truth. The man who loves his wife and family is the man who will fight for them, defend them, stand up for them and have the courage to be the leader God designed him to be.
