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The Men of Iron Minute

by Chad Zueck | Director of Content Creation

Masculine Presence in the World

The air was salty, thick, and crisp that day. A group of sailors hop onto a train to escape the rowdy crowd. They are searching for culture and comfort food, so they take the train on a short ride through the hills of the French Riviera to Menton, France. The views are staggering, but the people are a bit snarky. All the same, it’s a clear and beautiful European day. The men end their voyage at the train station in Menton. The train station was at the end of the rail, and thus, they were where they wanted to be. The train station was nothing special. The usual smell of sweat and earth mixed into a concrete structure. As the men wind their way through this small town, they are captivated by the pastel-colored architecture of this city on the banks of the Mediterranean Sea. This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and they are bent on maximizing their time.

This trip was spontaneous, so there was no way of knowing what to expect. They took everything as it came to them. As they turned the corner, they were surprised to see a well-manicured courtyard area shrouding a public park. They entered this square-shaped area with a few restaurants, shops, and bars. First stop, FOOD! They eat a delicious meal that the owner comped. He knew they were service members, so he kindly paid for their meals and drinks. Maybe these people aren’t all snarky! They say their goodbyes and turn to a bar on the next corner. As they make their way, they notice several small circus cars in the park. By now, it’s dark, so they make their way over to get a closer look. To their surprise, the circus cars have several lions and tigers penned up inside. Even more surprising is that there weren’t any other human beings around. The unmanned, caged lions and tigers are in the middle of a city park. The men were stunned to find the wild animals tamed to the point of boredom. The potential of these animals had been neutered and domesticated, and their power had been neutralized to the point where they looked as if they had forgotten that they were to be wild, powerful, and dangerous.

These men walk away staggering from this confusing experience. The men remark to one another, “Only in France,” as they shake their heads in disbelief.

The caged tigers and lions are a picture of masculine men today. The efforts to neutralize and silence masculinity are in full force. The silencing is through polite masking and policing of masculine virtues. Will you stand against it? Will you be silent, or will you roar? Will you shake the cages until the doors open? Will you be the man of God you are called to become? Will you pursue mentorship to ensure those values are lived out?

 

Men who don’t find their masculine presence in the world die like a wild tigers penned in a cage.

 

Do something.

Dare greatly.

Be a better man.

 

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