Man Notes - (not flatulence)

I realized just the other day that boys are different than girls. Have you ever noticed that, or am I the first person to receive this revelation? I’m sure everyone has noticed a minor difference or two if you’ve ever raised children, or if you have children, especially one of each variety, then you have undoubtedly noticed the differences as well. My girls like shiny things and my boy likes dirty things. My girls smell sweet and my son has a fragrance all his own. The most noticeable difference is that my girls are fearful to do daring things, yet my son, will jump before you even notice. He’s a maniac, all afterburner, and no rudder. Of course, those boys then grow up and become men who have children all their own.
All throughout the Bible we see example after example of powerful men leading others. Sometimes they lead them into battle, other times a revolution, but always into precarious situations. Men were created to be pioneers, Warriors, Volatile pieces of humanity. Let’s face it; boys are just different than girls.
With the subduing of the modern world, we also find the organized church trying to subdue the revolutionary spirit that is in a man. We expect men to come into our differing religious camps, get transformed, and then don the sweater vest and loafers and be nice! Above all, just be nice. After all isn’t that what Jesus would do? Actually no. Jesus was all man, and He was all God. Complete divinity in complete human form, and yet we see Him as a complete non-conformist. He didn’t do it Buddha’s way, nor did He do it Confucius’ way, He did it the Creator’s way. Through that window of time we can see not only how Jesus lived, but as men we can see how we should live.
Living life to the hilt is not just an expression; it really is a way of life. Jesus has shown men the way to live. It is not through conforming, but leading. Not jumping on the same well-worn paths of history, but forging into new areas, new ideas, and new adventures. Pushing the limits in areas that have been stagnant for decades. The primal initiative of man is to lead.
In the book of Mark, chapter 9, we find Jesus’ disciples arguing about who is going to be first. Your typical guy conversation, a little old school trash talk. You would think that Jesus would bring the heat and put them all in their place. But He doesn’t. Instead He tells them how to be first. He said, "If anyone wants to be first, He shall be last of all and servant of all."
As men we have an innate desire to be first, to be the leader, and to take other people on an incredible journey with us. We do that not by bullying our way over others, but through serving them. We lead our families by serving them not manipulating and controlling them. We serve our community not by complaining and yelling but by serving and becoming the catalyst for change.