I have three “boys.” They are all under the age of 10. I want them to be boys while they are still boys. I want them to act like boys, play like boys, laugh like boys, and be silly like boys…for now. But as they get older I want them to become men. I don’t want them to have the bodies of men and the mindset of boys. Recently the men of Redeemer Church attended a men’s conference. On one of the pages of the conference-book was the following quotation:
Boys take, Men give.
Boys criticize, Men create.
Boys complain, Men solve.
Boys consume, Men serve.
Boys pout, Men endure.
– JOHN BRYSON
My plan is to display this principle on one of the walls in our house. I want to put it in a place where my “boys” can see it every day. I want them to see the difference between a boy and a man so that they can successfully make the transition from boyhood to manhood in the coming years. Deep down inside, though, I know that what my boys need most is NOT a poster that describes manhood but a dad who displays it …everyday. May God grant me the courage to do just that!