Posts Tagged ‘Boys’

Is it just me or does it seem like men in the media today are getting thrown under the bus for a good laugh? Don’t get me wrong I am up for a good laugh just as much as the next person and some of my best material has come from the male species. I couldn’t get over the commercials during the “Big Game” this year (“Big Game” don’t even get me started on that one!) almost every one of them had some sort of slant towards how stupid men can be or how weak they are in their relationships. And have you noticed most of the sitcoms depict men as mental inferiors to women and just plain idiots. As a mother of two boys, this bothers me for a couple of reasons.

First, I pray for my boys to be leaders not followers. When I say leaders I don’t mean jack-asses or donkeys, you know the guy I am talking about, the guy who feels the need to belittle anyone who seems a threat to him or slightly weaker. I want my boys to be strong, confident, compassionate, life giving leaders; men who pour into other people’s lives with life giving encouragement and integrity. Like, Shrek for example. Yes, I just wrote and you just read, Shrek. Once he comes out of his swamp, he becomes a friend to all different types of characters, even a …donkey. He leads a group of misfits on to conquer evil and he loves his girl no matter what she looks like on the outside. With the onslaught of constant demoralizing male characters in the media I worry that it will be very difficult for any boy to grow up in a world that embraces him as a strong male leader. Just for the record, I have also known a lot of women who feel the need to belittle anyone who seems like a threat to her or slightly weaker.

Secondly, this negative depiction of men in the media bothers me is, I pray for my daughter to have a husband that is the spiritual leader of their household one day. I pray for their marriage to be one where she is treated like an equal partner but also like a cherished treasure. Whether she works or stays home, her work is valued but she is not put in the position where she is teaching all of the moral values, doing all of the chores around the house and financially the sole bread winner. That isn’t saying that single mothers shouldn’t be celebrated for the amazing jobs they do but honestly, I don’t want that life for my daughter. I want her to be a strong, confident, independent woman who has an equal partner in her marriage, not a weak shell of a man. Like Captain America and Wonder Woman, if they were married. Each has their own unique super powers that are celebrated and complement each other. They are strong together or separate; they fight evil for good and have a fabulous eye for accessorizing.

All accessorizing jokes aside, I do feel strongly about this issue and I know I plan on doing my part as a parent, wife, sister and friend to continue with jokes that depict the quirks of both boys/girls, men/women and ogres/superheros. How about you?

When my boys were a bit younger they loved to dress up. Batman, Buzz Lightyear, Luke Skywalker, Superman, and Power Rangers!! Now, it is super athletes and musicians that they seem to gravitate toward. My oldest son watches a show that takes two different “heroes” and compares them based on the armor they have, their super powers, and sidekicks; in the end, based on the comparisons, they announce who is the SUPER superhero!!

I think Jesus can take on the whole Justice League!!!
Armor: Superheroes all have special tools or armor like, the Batmobile. This car can transform into a jet airplane, a speed boat or submarine whatever the transportation need/emergency requires. So cool. But God took nothingness and transformed it into a bunch of rocks and gases, then added some water and light, then plants and animals (don’t even get me started on the details he put into each and everyone of these) and finally man. No one but Him can even compare with the transformations seen and unseen that He performs constantly, always. Bullet Proof Capes and armor are used by superheroes on a regular basis to shield them from the evil-doers bullets. Jesus doesn’t need bullet proof anything He has eternal existence and he is willing to offer it to us! He provides us with armor of our own through the word of God. Ephesians 6:13 (New International Version) 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…
Superpowers: X-ray Vision allows the superheroes the ability to see through walls in building or detect hidden weapons on their nemesis but Jesus trumps that, he can see all the way into a persons heart and soul…and not only that, he has the ability to change a persons heart from black to white, from empty to full!!! Super Strength is the unique ability to lift speeding trains off of tracks leading over a cliff or tie metal bars around villains to keep them in place. Jesus had real nails pounded into his hands. He bled. He hung on the cross for hours in agonizing pain. He had the ability to come down off of the cross at anytime and end his pain but He endured. No super hero strength can compare. Psalm 62: 11 (The Message) 11 … “Strength comes Straight from God.”

Sidekicks: Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl, Captain America and Bucky just to name a few. If they didn’t have sidekicks, superheroes wouldn’t be what they are today. Sidekicks not only support superheroes in their quest to save the world, but they often provide the necessary information to catch the evil-doers, offer moral support and encouragement, and come through in a pinch when the superhero is in trouble. Jesus ups the anti he doesn’t have one sidekick, he has two: God and the Holy Spirit. Even more impressive is the fact that the three of them are all equal and are three in one!! They all work together to save the world one soul at a time, they need not catch evil, evil has no power against them and there is unlimited encouragement and help whatever your situation may be. Matthew 28:19(New International Version) 9Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

You can be the judge. I, however, think it is pretty clear, Jesus rules the Justice League.