The Art of Firewalking

The highest compliment that I remember from my younger years did not come from a teacher, pastor, or family member. It came from a coach, and not even the head coach, at that. After the entire team (B Team) raced him in a one-hundred yard dash, he, the student-teaching coach, looked at me and said, "Turner! You're a man-child!" The rest of the year, I ran my heart out for that coach.

The greatest encouragement of my life thus far concerned the same subject but from a much higher Coach. In my Junior year in High School, I had a running prayer for God to allow me/teach me to be called a man. About two months into this prayer, God whispered quite clearly, "Son, I see you as a man." And now, I am still striving to run my heart out for Him. The problem I now face, however, has hindered me greatly: I'm learning to walk across the coals.

Firewalking: The Rite of Passage
All around me I see people living lives they don't want to live. I see men and women alike unhappy with the places they have woken up to find themselves in. And I have had absolutely no sympathy for them.

I have often asked myself, "Where have all the men gone?" And I find the reality to this question more and more daunting. Mostly because I now stand at the crucial point in my life where I must cross over into manhood.

What pain has gripped me! These coals hurt when you trip! But the pain I now experience as I find myself stretching and reaching for this thing called manliness doesn't only come from my mistakes, but from the society that has lacked in producing powerful examples of manliness.
      


...That, however, is absolutely wrong. I have long shoved most of my inward pain on the shoulders of the lacking society, and I now write this to apologize. I am sorry, society, for blaming you for my failures and short comings.

I hurt, and I cannot escape that. But so does the dying world around me. Maybe men have not taken there place as men because they don't know what it means either. But God obviously knows. I mean, He created man, didn't He? (I know those reading this who do not believe in God or Him creating us will want to stop here, but follow me for a bit longer).

Wanting so badly to understand manliness, I neglected the very foundations of my faith: love. Maybe that's why so many Christian men do not live like Christians or men: they fell into the trap that I am now grappling to get out of--cynicism.

"There are no good men around me, that's why I cannot step into manliness," has been my excuse for far too long. Even those who don't believe in Christianity would agree that life today would be drastically different if Jesus said those same words and never stepped into the life He lived. Regardless on whether one believes or not, the impact of Jesus' life on the world is undeniable.

Instead, Jesus looked at those hurting around Him, men and women alike, and wept for their hatred of life. He wept for others while I weep for myself. The math just doesn't seem to add up. If I claim the name of Christ, shouldn't I weep for what He wept for and stand for what He stood for?

Therefore, I am sorry, society. Forgive me for misrepresenting Jesus and for misrepresenting God. I believe He called me a man, and whether or not you agree with me, I'm about to cross over these coals once and for all. I'm done being a man-child. God called me a man.

Passing the Torch:

Son, if you are reading this, I am 18 years old. Your mother and I are not quite married yet. We plan on getting married in a year. I'm fighting for you. I have made many mistakes trying to figure out this manliness, but I aspire toward making the way clear for you. You are my right-hand man, and I look forward to the day that I get to call you a man. Never seek my approval more than God's, however. That will only leave you with wounds. I love you.

Daughter, if you are reading this, know that I am fighting now to show you what a man looks like. I know even now that you are gorgeous like your mother. Wait for God to send you His man. Learn to love and respect him, but always guard your heart--it is the Lord's first and foremost. My beautiful angel, I love you.

Children, guard your hearts and seek righteousness. Purity and holiness does not come from a standard, law, book, or ritual. It comes only from faith in Christ. If God calls you to singleness, embrace it. He wants your hearts first and foremost. Run the race. Keep the faith.

Your dad,
The man of God,

The Definition of a Man

Man. That brute creature that seems to live in a constant battle with pride. The untamable, wild, and powerful. But what is man? What does a true man look like? I'm talking about the kind of man, like King David, that even God looks at and says, "That's My MAN!" Even more, how about the perfect Man, King Jesus, who never said a faulty word, never backed down from the truth, never apologized or asked for forgiveness (because He did no wrong), never fled as a coward, called out the "men" of His day, and much much more. What is man?

A man embraces adventure and sweeps his princess up into it
A man faces a challenge headfirst, even if the odds are against him
A man seeks true, heavenly wisdom and knows his own limits

A man seeks the truth, then fights to defend it
A man speaks the truth, even if it means sacrificing his life
A man lives and walks in the truth and trains his children to walk in it

A man is a brute beast, wild at heart, tough in nature,
But he has tamed power, the essence of meekness,
And he fights only in the wars worth fighting

He does this because he is a pursuer of peace,
A being that allows peace to be the umpire of every situation,
And places peace in the forefront of every solution

His meekness trains him to be a tranquil forest on fire within
A true man gains such control and power from gazing on the Flame,
The LORD of hosts, the embodiment of all things Manly and all things Feminine

A man lives in perfect balance with his body, soul, and spirit
He knows his center and lives life from the inside out
A man turns to the Higher Power for his power, submitting his rights

A man lives on his knees and walks in the Spirit
He would sacrifice his life for a friend
And lay down his pride to bless an enemy

He is not weak, but he embraces voluntary weakness
Fasting essentials, praying continually, and admitting his lack of ability
Not afraid to ask for directions, help, wise council, or a shoulder to lean on

A man loves his wife like Christ loves the church
He brings life to the relationship and defends the family at all costs
Through hard days and tough times, he still prays

He keeps his cool, but does not hide his emotions
Swagger is for boys, but men walk with dignity, power, and confidence
He is not easily angered, and his anger is righteous, tamed, and without fault

A man trains his boys to be valiant warriors, wise sages, and observant eagles
He leads the example for his princess daughters to find their courageous knight
He carries with him encouraging words and uses every moment as a lesson

His wife respects him because his character demands respect
She has no problem submitting to his council, and feels safe when she does
He leads her to the cross and does not allow her to love him more than God

A man does not say "yes" just to please another being
Where there is a question, his "yes" means "yes" and his "no" means "no"
A man knows when he should say "no" and lives in harmony with time

A man does not seek riches or man's empty praise
He knows that his only true inheritance comes from more of God's Presence
A man with riches gives abundantly and never loses his faith

He never loses his faith:
Not in tumult
Nor tribulation
Nor sleeplessness
Nor war
Nor lack
Nor abundance
He never loses his faith.

He is a man because God calls him a man
He does not name himself, but clings to the Father
He is man because God created him as such

That is man.

This list can continue. Please comment with more.