Your Primal Roots

Did you ever stop to think and wonder why we, as men like competition and action so much? Why men dare and push each other to do stupid things? Why do we test ourselves against each other to see who can run faster or longer, or who can throw a ball or rock the farthest? Sometimes we’ll see who’s the better wrestler? Or who dares to do something dangerous or embarrassing? My crew has been known to take turns throwing an 85 lb. log, judging success on distance, rotation and groin pulls. One cold camping season in February, one of our men thought it would be fun to start a polar bear club. So he stripped down to his BVD’s (stands for; Butt Very Dangerous) and jumped into the lake at our camp. I don’t know the exact temperature of the water but there was ice on my truck that day, so swimming wasn’t the first thing on a list of “things you’d like to do today”. Well if you knew my crew, you wouldn’t be surprised to see that one by one they’d strip down and jump in, not wanting to be left out or counted as a weenie. (That’s my boys!) Even the young kids (10 year olds) got in and risked hypothermia. So why are we like this?...... It’s just how we’re programed. Gods’ Word says; Proverbs 27:17 N IV. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. In other words, that’s how we are supposed to be. It’s good and healthy to challenge your friends to honorable competition once in a while. We’re meant to push each other to greater heights of physical and mental capabilities. I believe that the most civilized man you can imagine, is only one catastrophic event away from becoming the warrior/protector/hunter he is predisposed and able to be. That’s why I sometime rant about the modern day image of a man and the effect it has on our society…The liberal emasculation of our kind has caused leaderless families, socially inept youth, women who don’t know how to choose a good man and moral decay throughout our population. Godly men are the cure for this onslaught of cultural decay. And healthy men push each other to betterment. It’s Gods’ way. So when the moment’s right, feel free to dare your bud to a bug eating contest or hurt yourself while speed climbing a tree. Or maybe pull a groin trying to out throw your friend in a log throwing contest. It will make you a better man physically and mentally.

Teachable

What does it mean to be teachable or correctable? I’m sure that everyone thinks that they’re teachable. But can you hear, hard to hear things about yourself without getting defensive or angry? To be sure, not everyone should have the right to point out things for correction in your life. Only trusted, wise friends with no agenda or ulterior motives, whom only have your betterment in mind, should get through your anti-idiot protection bubble. Pride has a funny way of overbuilding your good qualities and discounting your bad ones. (Don’t sweat it, everyone is like that.) Most men can admit to some bad qualities but they are usually limited in scope. The sense of self-preservation and aggrandizement we all have (Otherwise known as ego.) can keep us from a path of self-improvement. So I'll ask once again. Do you have trusted people in your life, whom can tell you hard to hear things about yourself and if so, can you hear them without losing your wig? Misplaced confidence in your good traits, talents and abilities is a good place to turn over and rotor-till the hard ground of your ego. That’s right. The places you think are all right and good, many times are bastions of personal pride. Are you a talented singer or musician? Big deal, I just saw three brothers 8, 12, and 13 years of age, on YouTube play like musical ninjas. (So much for that.) How about my ability to make money as a business man? I bet that the bad economy helped you with that point of pride. Some people are prideful about their intelligence or wit. Get over it. There’s always somebody smarter and sharper. Or what about your physical fitness, athletic abilities or stunning go looks? (Old age will eventually crush all that.) So with all that said. Are you correctable? It takes a real healthy striping down of ones ego and regular personal inventory and evaluation to be able to fully say yes. It also takes those earlier mentioned relationships that have license to speak into your life. The Spirit of God is the most gentile Councilor. He will show us our inner strongholds of pride and He will confirm the corrections we need as men, in our own spirits, by His Word and by our trusted friends. Hey it sounds like another good reason to have a tribe.