Casandra Martin

Dear Son,

You are becoming a man. We live in a world that is confused about how to define masculinity. Our society celebrates domination and calls that being a man. If someone can dominate on the field, in the bedroom, in the boardroom, in a classroom, in the spotlight, or on the street, they can get their ticket punched and the world pays attention. What they don’t tell you is how empty that leaves your soul.

Strength is not found in how many people you can bully, how many women you can use, or how many points you can score. Being a man is about being strong enough to surrender, sacrifice, be self-controlled, and serve others.  Surrender invites you to step into a story larger than yourself. Its opposite is selfishness. Sacrifice encourages you to live in a God-empowered purpose, rather than an agenda of your own making. Self-control is freedom from the sticky lures of this world. Service allows you to see in ways to which dominance will always be blind.

It is hard to stand alone. The pressure to be a man of the world is intense. It is going to require a courage, a fortitude, and a focus than can only be harnessed by a man willing to kneel at the cross. Being a man isn’t about having a certain set of genes, but about allowing God to have access to the DNA of your soul.

Son, my Jesus Resolution today is to help you become the man God has always planned for you to be. I want to cheer you on, celebrate the moments when you choose wisely, set you on a strong foundation, and give you opportunities to practice true strength. I want to point out the real men who, in quiet strength, walk through your world and encourage you to follow them as they live out what it means to look like Jesus.