Becoming a Man

We're doing a couple of small groups at church for dads... Raising a Modern Day Knight. The intent is equip dads to raise their sons... leading them to "authentic manhood." It's a pretty good program with several strengths... the video presentations are well done; the small group discussion is empowering; the homework and projects with sons are the heart of the material. It's good stuff.

This week the point was made that our culture lacks markers or rituals to denote the passage from being a boy to manhood. It's true when you think about it. College pretty much extends many aspects of adolescence. We often glorify games in various forms, and make fun of people who take things seriously. The trend in culture seems to be moving away from people taking responsibility for themselves and their actions. Many times our leaders sound like neighborhood kids... blaming each other instead of "owning up." AND in our larger American culture we truly don't have ceremonies that mark manhood.

And yet... many of our boys do grow up to be responsible men, men who love God and their families, men who really want to live like Jesus. So, somehow God works through who we are and who we are not to get the job done again and again. And when I look at my adult son, I am so proud of the man he has become... for sure in spite of my mistakes... and maybe partly because of a few things I did well. Whatever, God is shaping him, and for that I am truly grateful.