Each day, I catch myself watching men treat women – strangers, elders, a young girl, or a sister – I see them act numb and insensitive. Holding back to be a gentleman: letting go of the door while a girl is about to go out, complaining to women how heavy their baggage is and ending up women carrying its cases, and entitling themselves that they’re the man; the boss – the ones who smash the wall, break girl’s hearts, brawl, and attack strangers and crack green jokes; most especially, men who feel like they own the world; men who manipulate others to get what they want.
So much disturbance, but don’t get me wrong. I long, I’m sure we all do, to see men rise up with a gentle and quiet spirit but a warrior mind and heart who will fight for deeper maturity, respect, and integrity – not fighting for a childlike attitude and worldly perspectives of dishonesty and vice and wrong view of what strength you should possess as a “man.”
It breaks my heart too much how profoundly deaf and blind the men are today. It saddens me how women are the ones standing up for them and being strong for them when men should be the ones making the move. It dashes me down when I see men put themselves first and women the last. I am not saying this because I’m biased; I love men, honestly. But few are rising up with dauntless and brave souls; I see a minority of men fight so hard and the majority of it is lost and off-track.
It was never a man enough kicking off everything allowing pride to eat you up alive with no conscience and devouring you by the wrong mindsets of what a man should be pursuing – perversion, depravity, godlessness, and obscenity. A man is not someone who disrespects purity, dishonors parents, and covers errors to make it look like it’s right.
A real man is simply being strong in the Lord, though they get exhausted from time to time, a man knows his source; a man who will love, respect, and value relationships; a man who relies on the strength of God, not on the courage of the world’s pornography and impurity; a man who stands on his word; a man who delights in God’s heart more than his; a man who pursues humility in spite of the arrogance and self-importance trying to define him; a man who will take the lead no matter what – in crossing the streets, opening doors, carrying bags, picking up what has been fallen to the ground, and influence people in the light of what is true and noble; a man who submits to the Lordship of Christ.
The world has been the most influential place on earth and pursuing what’s dishonorable settling for something temporary and uncertain blinds us. But I hope and pray that as men of God, in the perspective of a woman, you rise up and never be afraid of what fear will come your way. No matter how your knees will shake and quiver, remember who your fortress and refuge are. After all, being a man is not about how much pride you’ve earned for decades of years; but how much humility you have submitted before God and allowed Him to mold and build you to be the man after His own very heart. I pray that one day I’ll see men soar and surpass King David, King Solomon, and the twelve disciples. You have your own identity, brother. Claim what’s yours. Don’t claim it somewhere in a random corner of the earth. Be the man the King has destined you to be.
Real men are few, allow me to say that. I hope you’re part of it; if not, it’s time. We need you.
-Rinnah Ramirez 🙂
rinnah ramirez. 