Dr. Helen had a post a couple of days ago called, “Are Christian men too wimpy?” In that post she commented on how 300 Tennessee men had a meeting to discuss the difference between being “nice” (which is not good) and being “good” (which is). Later on she commented that the men had issues with pornography.
As a Christian man I am not surprised to hear that men have gathered to discuss these issues. Although these issues are new to Dr. Helen they are not new issues for Christian men. It is a known fact that attendance at churches is much lower for males than for females and several authors have speculated on the reasons. One of my favorite authors, John Eldredge, has written several books exploring the heart of a man and how each man gets his personal identity. Too often men subconsciously submit to the cookie cutter approach to male identity. They go through life acting like “Christian men”. In hindsight it is pretty funny what men have done to conform. There is a diffused smell of wimpiness around the cookie cutter approach to living. It is no surprise that men find little satisfaction when they impress their friends at parties with all of their stuff. Yet for all of their accomplishments they still feel empty inside. For a few men this emptiness manifests in an addiction to pornography. Instead of living out their dreams or finding a true purpose for their lives, they realize that they have been working on “other” things. Their priorities have led them astray.
The grand challenge has always been to feel alive and whole. The Dilbert cartoon pokes fun at the identity we get from others. Understanding and embracing your personal identity is not a simple task but it is key to unlocking a passion for living. When you finally succeed at unlocking the desires in your heart, your life is filled with a passion for your friends, your family, and your dreams that exceeds your imagination. It is a different life. It is a complete life. It is a life worth living.