Hey Dad, You Matter

"A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle." - Attributed to Gloria Steinem

I worked as a counselor for several years at Kanakuk, a Christian camp just outside Branson, Missouri. One of the games we played was Indian Ball. It was sort of like softball with a ball that was about half-again larger and not as hard. A mitt was impractical and unnecessary. Besides, playing bare-handed was part of the game.

During staff week, before the campers arrived, the counselors would assemble in coed teams on the upper ball field to play IndianBall together. The rules of softball applied with these exceptions: Each team supplied their own pitcher and the guys had to switch-hit. In other words, if a man normally batted right handed, he had to bat left handed. The goal was to hamper the men when they were batting so the women in the field would enjoy the game. It worked great! Everyone had loads of fun.

But here is the question: Would it be accurate for the women to conclude after a game of Indian Ball that they were equal to the men in batting prowess? Certainly not. In fact, just the opposite turned out to be the case. Some of the differences between the sexes were actually accentuated.

In Indian ball, forcing the guys to bat in such a way made for great fun, but to carry the same logic forward to life ultimately creates problems. Changing roles in an attempt to establish equality eventually creates insecurity and frustration for both men and women. Before long, the women feel patronized and the men unappreciated, neither of which communicate respect, the very thing equality is supposed to be based upon.

I like James Dobson's comment, "Boys and girls should be taught that the sexes are equal in worth but very different from one another." Differences between men and women are a good thing. Women were never intended to be like men and men were never intended to be like women.

Just last week, in an article entitled, "Move Over Rambo," Pierre Francois Le Louet, Managing Director for Fashion Group International in Paris, announced that today's man is more likely to opt for a pink flowered shirt and swinger's clubs than the traditional role of family super-hero.

He goes on to say that, the masculine ideal is being completely modified. All the traditional male values are being completely overturned and today's man is a hybrid of creativity, sensitivity, and multiplicity. In his opinion it is a good thing for men to put on a pink, flowered shirt and try out partner-swapping. Thank you for that assessment, Mr. Le Louet.

I hate to say it, but in some respects he is probably a prophet. Already men have been reduced in western society to not much more than sperm donors.

Where will we be if men do become hybrids of what God originally designed? If folks like Mr. Le Louet have their way, what will become of us as a society? Among other things, I suppose partner-swapping will enjoy a resurgence!

But what of our children, especially our boys? They will search in vain for a man who behaves like a man. And how does a man behave? He leads his family to the heart of the Great Warrior, Jesus, the Christ, the Mighty Warrior who shouts over us with joy and with whom he has a vibrant relationship (ref. Zeph. 3:17).