“Never Trust a Man”

It was a Saturday adventure. We just decided to get in the car and drive to downtown Greenville and enjoy the afternoon as a family. As we drew closer, we noticed that traffic seemed busier than normal. Apparently, we had arrived at the Annual Duck Derby.

We didn’t even know such a thing existed. As numerous people purchased a rubber ducky to place into the Reedy River Falls for a race, we realized that we came on a busy yet exciting day. My wife had just told my three children to stay close and link up because there were so many people and so many distractions.

And then it happened.  Just as I was about to think my wife was being too jumpy, we heard the commotion.

Two ladies began running through the crowd frantically yelling a child’s name. As they pulled the other children by hand through the masses, most people just stared and parted the waters as they came towards their direction. I approached them and asked for what the child was wearing so that I could get involved in the search and rescue. One lady just looked at me and then ran off on her search. I used my height to try to scan the crowd as we searched for a child out-of-place.

A few minutes later (which probably felt like an eternity for these ladies), they found the missing boy. As the mother embraced her son, cried all over him, and told him never to wander off again, the mother’s friend began to chime in as well. We were still in close enough proximity to hear her jarring words to the young boy:

“If that ever happens again, whatever you do, find a woman to help. Do not go to a man. Do you hear me? Never trust a man.”

They were jarring because I got it. I, unfortunately, understood why she said what she said.

  • I wanted to object because I was the only one I saw willing to help.
  • I wanted to object because I hadn’t lost my kids in the crowd that day.
  • I wanted to object and inform her of all the good men out there.

But who was I kidding? Men had lost the right to be trusted.

  • Men are supposed to be providers and yet known to be hoarders.
  • Men are supposed to be sacrificial and yet known to be selfish.
  • Men are supposed to be protectors and yet known to be the dangers.

We live in a time when so much of our cultural directions are due to the fact that men have failed to do their job.  Instead of acting like men, we have resorted to living like boys.

The Bible speaks against that mentality and lifestyle.

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong (1 Cor. 16:13).

To act like a man means the difference of being weak.  It implies being watchful for sinful areas.  It speaks of standing firm in the faith.  

I understood why the women acted the way they did that day, but I refuse to go down without a fight.  Just because we have given society plenty of reasons to lower their expectations, I pray that the Church will see godly men rise to the challenge.  I long to see men step into their roles and display consistency over compromise, resolve over retreat, and faithfulness over frivolity.  

I want to live a life of integrity that earns the trust as a man.  Will you join me?  Will you grow up into a man of God?

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness (1 Tim. 6:11).