Happy Father's Day!
I love men. Got your attention, didn’t I? Well, yes, I really do love men! God made them just perfect. They are so different than us – they are rough, we are soft and tender; they are strong, we pretend to be; they are logical, we are more on the emotional side! We balance each other and that is why God made us to fit perfectly together.
A happy belated Father’s Day to all Fathers reading this – I pray that you are being appreciated and living up to your responsibilities as you enjoy the precious blessings from God. I know your task is great, and I pray you have a good woman by your side, sharing the beautiful joy of bringing up your children. If you do not, and, right now you are somehow feeling unappreciative, rejoice that God is on your side. He will reward you and your children in due season.
It pains my heart when I observe good men being decapitated by women whom they love and who profess to love in return. Ladies, we do have changing emotions and are sometimes overly fragile, but we should not use that as an excuse to disrespect our men. Sure, some of them might be deserving in our own eyes, but we should not try to play God and mete out punishment. Our words should be seasoned with love, encouragement, gratitude, peace, and joy.
Picture this: Worship services are over and everyone meeting and greeting in the foyer. Out came wife number one all emotional, because husband didn’t pick up the child from the nursery, “Why didn’t you get Sophie out of the nursery? I can’t trust you take care of one little thing. Don’t leave her in the nursery if you are not going to go pick her up.” Loud enough for a number of people to hear! The very controlled, patient handsome husband attempted a response, but she launched into more assaults with her words and body language, so he shook his head and walked off – obviously embarrassed!
Why was all that necessary? Where was the control on the part of the beautiful wife? Why talk to the love of your life in that manner and in a crowd? I know that sometimes we don’t even realize what we are saying and doing. We are just reacting out of our emotions. I have been there (and perhaps sometimes still do) and have been short or outright disrespectful to my handsome man in a public setting. He does the godly thing by not responding in a harsh manner. I have also been blessed to have my beautiful sister pull me aside and make me aware of my actions. Honestly, sometimes I wasn’t aware that my responses came across so harshly to the observer. We need to become more aware of the effects our speech has on our handsome men.
If the roles were reversed, I am sure many would start to scream “verbal abuse!”, “verbal abuse!”, “verbal abuse!” Yet, day by day our handsome men are subjected to our harsh unseasoned tongue lashing. We don’t encourage enough! We don’t praise and lift up enough! We know it is hard to find a good man, yet we don’t cherish the one we have found! We ought to be so ashamed of ourselves. We desire encouragement from our spouses - why not return the same? They sometimes pretend they don’t need to hear it, but that is simply because all their lives they were not encouraged or told how much they were appreciated.
It is amazing that I thought to write on this subject last Friday, and on Sunday, Fathers’ Day, our Senior Minister, Wesley T. Leonard, preached a stinging, encouraging message along the same lines. [Stinging to those who find themselves guilty of not doing; and encouraging to know that scripture supports the need for us to uplift, praise, and exhort our handsome men.] At the end of worship, one brother loudly proclaimed to a group of us sisters, “Did you hear that message? You need to get the tape!” I will be obedient and get the tape!!
The three points from the sermon, entitled, “The Strong Man” - Matthew 12:29-30, are as follows:
1. Men are given to reason, women to emotion. Ecclesiastes 1:25
2. Man was made in the image of God and therefore desires exhortation and praise. Ephesians 5:33
3. Men need affection from their wives – 1 Corinthians 1:1-5.
[If you are single, I am not sure what Minister Leonard had to say to you. I am yet to listen to the sermon as I was on Nursery duty. I would encourage you, as a single handsome man, to focus on serving God and pray that he remove that desire for deep affection from you until you have been united in Holy Matrimony. Easier said than done, but I know it is possible, trust God!]
I dedicate this writing to my handsome strong man. I thank you for all that you have done and continue to do. I thank God for you in my life and I want to praise you and encourage you to live a life pleasing to God. You are a hard worker and that pays the bills around here. With the help and direction of God, you have a lovely roof over our heads and we never want for food to eat. Your children shall surely call you blessed! We love you in times of laughter, times of sadness, times of great joy!!
Be encouraged, Dear Readers! My brothers, I encourage you especially to keep on being the strong man you are! I recognize your worth and appreciate you all for who you are. You all are heroes in your own special way. May God continue to bless you all!
Melanie
PS: If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the sermon, let me know, they sell for $5.00 on CD.
