A Tender Warrior

A Tender Warrior

What does a healthy man look like? I can't help but recall a statement from a young man who lives near us-a-sixteen year-old high school sophomore. His parents divorced when he was eight-years-old. His father left and has never returned. His stepdad, a tyrannical and poor excuse for a man, treats him poorly. Tells him to "shut up" all the time. Tells him he's worthless, stupid, and will never amount to anything.

But just ask the boy about his dreams and his eyes will light up. This is what he'll tell you: "I'd like to find out where my real dad lives. And I'd like to move in next door without him knowing who I was. And-I'd like to just become his friend. Once I had become his friend, then maybe it would be OK for me to move on."

This same young man who has all kinds of difficulty in his life was asked to write an essay on the subject, "What is a man?" The following is his brief essay-written by a boy who has never really been around a man, never really seen one, But so fundamental, that even a young boy who has never seen it modeled can put it into words. Here's what he wrote:
A real man is kind.
A real man is caring.
A real man walks away from silly macho fights.
A real man helps his wife.
A real man helps his kids when they are sick.
A real man doesn't run from his problems.
A real man sticks to his word and keeps his promises.
A real man is honest.
A real man is not in trouble with the law.

It's one lonely boy's vision of a man who stays. A man who is both an authority and under authority.

It's a vision of a Tender Warrior.

Character is what you are in the dark.
Dwight L. Moody