Manhood - Why is it important for boys to be shown how to become men?

Have you given any thought to why those bearded camo-wearing duck call makers are so popular? Why are Americans so fascinated with the lifestyles of the rich and the rednecked? What has made us so fiercely loyal to their blunt, no nonsense values? Think about it. When was the last time you remember seeing a famous person openly condemn the perversion of homosexuality, then consequently get crucified in the media, suspended by the producers, and have his products pulled from the shelves only to have it all reversed within days of conservative America revolting?

What is the secret to their influence? What is the dynamic behind the dynasty?

I think the answer is simple - manhood. Americans are starving for examples of real men. Not the buttered-up muscle-bound men of the big screen who take seven rounds to the chest, get flipped over the hood of a car, yet still have the strength to overpower the bad guy while clinging to the side of a moving vehicle. No! Americans are intrigued, perhaps even obsessed, with the reality of true manhood. 

In the early 60's, Hollywood and the feminist movement joined forces to glamorize a ridiculous concept labeled "equality of the sexes". Although they argued that the goal was to create an atmosphere of equal value, in reality, their agenda was to convince a culture that men and women were interchangeable and ultimately that gender was insignificant. 

To them, the resulting benefit would be normalization of sinful pursuits. If gender became irrelevant, male leadership could be undermined and "free love" (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, etc.) would be free to thrive. In their sick humanistic reasoning, they convinced themselves that if they could weaken the male, the rest of the herd would thrive. We now have over half a century of statistical evidence to examine. Would anyone in their right mind argue that the American culture has benefited from this grand social experiment?

As women found themselves more free to abandon their God-given role as homemakers (Titus 2:5), the "Mr. Mom" propaganda became more intense. In response to this challenge, men made two major mistakes. Some embraced their newly-assigned feminized domestication. Others became abusive. (Note: The best response is rarely found on either extreme.) The poor reaction from men created confusion within the home. This confusion opened the floodgates for everything the Hollywood feminists wanted. Without a strong male presence to define roles within the home, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lifestyles invaded the curious minds of our young. Today, we are living the results. Broken homes tend to reproduce broken homes. The future does not look bright.

I am convinced that the feminization of the American male is Satan's greatest accomplishment in his pursuit to bring America to her knees. Through the message of gender irrelevance, he has undermined God's roles within the home and normalized many of God's most disdained sins. With just one tweak of the American value system, he has sent a once godly nation into a moral tailspin. It was a plan of undeniable demonic brilliance. And the saddest part is, many Christians are the staunchest defenders of his role-neglecting agenda.

Solutions: 

The reason the bearded men of "Duck Dynasty" are so popular is because they represent a long overdue conservative rebellion against the perverted propaganda of the feminist/Hollywood agenda. They present themselves as being masculine instead of a compromised, diluted version of feminized manhood. They focus on contrasts between the sexes. They demonstrate that masculinity and  femininity are gender specific. They show us that men and women are strikingly different breeds of humanity and they push us to celebrate the variety in God's plan. 

Below are two very important suggestions as well as several personal examples to help us begin the journey toward solutions. Please take time to read them, pray about their validity and send me your thoughts.

1. Celebrate the genders! Men and women are unique varieties of God's brilliant creative nature. We are not "equal", we are different, special, opposites. This colorful uniqueness must be celebrated. Men and women are complementary and interdependent, but not interchangeable. We must teach our children to bask in the Divine glory of their unique design. We must stop allowing the world to convince them that living within God's separate biblical roles is outdated or nonfunctional. As the world continues to prove that their approach does not work, may we not be so blinded by convenience or materialism that we continue to compromise in order to be like them.

2. Be intentional about raising men. Women are indescribably important, but this material is not about them. Establishing the importance of real manhood must be restored as a priority within the home and the church. Every Christian man needs to seek out a young male to disciple and train in the Divine art of masculinity.

As our son, Gabriel, began journeying through the difficult years of puberty, I made a conscious decision. I decided not only to spend more time with him, but to intentionally engage in man-specific activities together. When we play sports, I intentionally push, shove, and keep the game physical. I enrolled him in martial arts classes in order for him to learn how to celebrate the validation of sweat. We sword fight, roughhouse, and wrestle on the concrete floor. 

Over the years, we have shot guns, repaired toilets, built dog houses, changed tires, hung sheetrock, fed farm animals, slept in the treehouse, bombed imaginary ships in the muddy water of our ditch, and much more. Growing into a soft, feminized man is not acceptable. Celebrating God's role for a man to be a leader and provider is a top priority. (For other examples of our "Be a man!" classes, visit heybrothersonny.com/be-a-man-classes.html.) 

Since making that intentional decision to lead Gabriel into manhood, the biblical keys to masculinity have become common place in our family's conversations. We talk about these principles when we sit at home, when we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise up. God's view of manhood is a constant topic of our discussion.

The importance of masculinity cannot be overemphasized. The bearded men of "Duck Dynasty" are NOT perfect templates of manhood. But, at least they are obviously men. They unashamedly celebrate their God-given gender and they use America's fascination to champion the values of the Creator. Certainly that is to be admired.

May you and I be so brave. May you and I try harder to make it real!

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