The One.

Out of every Hundred men,
Ten shouldn’t even be there,
Eighty are just targets,
Nine are the real fighters,
and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle.
Ah, but the One,
The One is a warrior
And He will bring the others back.

-- Heraclitus

I first read this about two years ago. I have always felt there was something to this.

I see three kinds of men layed out in this quote. Men who don't have direction or passion, men who have passion but no direction and men who have both and the ability to teach others how to have both. The One has two roles as the Knight and the Guardian.

The One is a warrior. (The Knight)

Men with passion but no direction(the nine)are common place I see it everywhere they know they have strength to offer but for the life of them they can't seem to figure out what the area is that would best suit them.

Sound familiar?

Strength under control turns a man from a brawler(fighter) to a knight (warrior).

A knight has a cause that is worth giving his life for, unto death. It's more then a battle it's more then an adventure it's a whole way of living.
If you were to live like your life was in service to those around you would your life look different?

A knight lives in service to his king and serving the king means serving the people.
Knights also have training that can be passed on they have Pages and Squires for that reason.
Pages and Squires may be adults or boys in a knights life.

Who is in your life that needs raising up?

The fulfillment of this role is that your passion and desire becomes the kings(Jesus) passion and desire, to serve those around you and to lend your strength to raising up those around you.
When your direction and passion come from the king then you move from being a fighter to a warrior.

And He (The One) will bring the others back. (The Guardian)

To rescue men who have no passion or direction you have to understand what it means to have been rescued.

You have to come to terms with the fact that you were without direction and without passion and you were invited into a story that was bigger then you and told that you had what it took enought times to silence the voices of discouragement.

It may have happened growing up or as a grown up but somewhere masculinity was bestowed to you as you fellowshiped with men.

The idea of the guardian came from a movie of that title.
It was in the company of a man (Kevin Costner) who had walked the road of loss that recovery was possible for young Jake. (Ashton Kutcher).

The fulfillment of this role is that you don't just leave people in their brokenness and dispair you go after them and rescue them bring them back to the shepherd(Jesus) to be cared for and healed.
Just as Jesus left the ninty-nine to save the one.

To summarize the One lives in service to those around him through discipleship and sacrifice, as a knight and as a guardian never leaves behind those who are in need of love and care.
So Jesus lived and so we must if we are to call him brother and king.

The Question.

Do I have what it takes?

John Eldridge in his book Wild At Heart talks about this being the question every boy asks. The answer will direct boys into being men with a capable confidence or men who are unsure and fearful.

Which kind of man are you?

Growing up I didn’t feel I had what it took to do anything of significance.

I became a man who lacked confidence and was fearful of trying things that I didn’t know how to do, my fear kept me from asking to learn, so everything scared me.

I lived in a constant state of fear of being found out as someone who didn’t belong.

Sound familiar?

God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love and sound mind 2 Timothy 1:7

Yesterday I changed the battery on my car by myself, small thing to the man who was raised with confidence, for me it was a break through moment.

It was an "I have what it takes" moment.

I know there are more and more men out there who are still asking the same question they were as eight-year-old boys and finding the answer the same at every turn.

As Christian men, we have the responsibility to find them and to build them up in such a way that their question is answered in a way that spurs them toward the high call that God has put on their life.

How is the question answered?

Masculinity is bestowed in the company of other men.

It takes a man to show a man he’s a man.

The world is full of fear-filled men who lack confidence.

As Christian men, we have the reasonability to find them and to build them up in such a way that their question is answered in a way that spurs them toward the high call that God has put on their life.

There is a company of men I have surrounding me who are bestowing masculinity upon me from their strength and I am bestowing to them from mine.

If you are a man in this world you need other men around you life is too hard to walk alone you need a band of brothers.

This week's challenge.

Pray for men to come into your life who you can lend your strength to and to whom you also receive strength from both are important if you are going to create a group that is not about one persons needs.

Pray for forty days, it biblical, fast a few meals in there and pray because God will bring men into your life and you into the lives of others that will change the course of your life and the life of those arIound you.

Next Blog "The One". You will never guess what it’s about.

Swords.

I love a good swashbuckler film knights, pirates. I love the films where a son recovers his fathers sword or uses it to win the day in almost every movie that has swords and fathers and sons there is a passing of a sword from a father to a son in some way.

Robin Hood, Kingdom of Heaven, King Arthur, The Three Musketers it's a right of passage it's a symbol of manhood its a heritage of strength.

I have thought a lot about that passion why do I feel that way about an object and how do I make it come alive for me now. I don't have a sword and if I did I would just hang it on my wall, I dont have enemy hords at my front door, or dragons to slay. So sure if I had a sword I could pass it to my son but what meaning would it have?

In the time of history where a sword was used it meant a lot. It was practical and natural to have a sword and pass it on.

What legacy do I have to offer my son?
As he comes to an age what will be a symbol to him of manhood and a heritage of strength?
What will he look at and see battles fought against enemy's and victories over dragons?

My Bible.

It came to me that a Bible is that sword a Bible that has been used as it should will, like a well used sword, have some notches and look like it has been doubt with.

In this technological age I write this blog on my phone and read a bible off it too. Something can be lost when I loose "touch" with the word of God.

A while back I wrote about the Paige ceremony my friend has implemented for his sons there are two more ceremonies that follow.

The squire ceremony and the knight ceremony.

In preparation for sending our sons out into war I encourage you fathers to send them out armed with a well used sword that they can read notes and prayers and pass down and know where and when God blessed you and where and when you were broken and how you overcame.

In our lives there will be times when we are seeking the face of God our savior and we find him in his word make notes and date them not only will they help you but your sons as well bless them by giving them something more then just a symbol you will give them life and faith.

Passion.

I have thought and prayed about sharing this piece of my heart for a while.
The wellspring of life is your heart proverbs 4:23 so my heart must be seen if what is flowing from it can be seen for what it is.

This is my passion statement and from this I will engage men where they are to take them from a place of apathy to victory.

My Passion Statement.

I have a passion to see every man come into the fullness of what God has for them.

I believe everyman has a unique part to play in his family and only by his presents and participation can his family be released to be who they were made to be.

I believe every man has a unique call in his church and only by his action and devotion can he inspire other men to use there streanghth in service to the king.

I believe every man has a unique place in his community and only by his love and reaching out can he bring the kingdom of God to men who are desperate for fellowship.

The three areas mentioned home, church, community these are, as I see it, the areas where we fail to engage so with that in mind in one of these areas I will engage men once a week through this blog and in my daily walk with Christ.
I look forward to sharing this journey.

Every one has a passion it's a question of what it is not do I have one.
My prayer is that you would understand your part, your call, your place, and that man or woman that you would move toward it.
This week prayerfully seek what your passion is and see where you have been placed where you can be what no one else can be.
You only you can be you where you are right now and you are there for a reason.