(not really) A book review

because I'm only about 20 pages into it. A review would require finishing it.  But I can't help sharing these words from Eric Metaxas' new book Seven Men: And the Secret of their Greatness: 

(not shared in the order they were written.)

Strength is denigrated because it can be used for ill. So we live in a culture  where strength is feared and where there is a sense that - to protect the weak - strength itself must be weakened. When this happens, the heroic and true nature of strength is much forgotten. It leads to a world of men who aren't really men. Instead they are just two kinds of boys: boasting, loud-mouthed bullies or soft, emasculated pseudo-men. Women feel that they must be "empowered" and must never rely on men for strength. It's a lot like a socialistic idea, where "power" and "strength" are redistributed - taken away from men and given to women, to even things out. Of course, it doesn't work that way. Everyone loses.

But God's idea of making men strong was so that they would use that strength to protect women and children and anyone else. There's something heroic in that. Male strength is a gift from God, and like all gifts from God, it's always and everywhere meant to be used to bless others. In Genesis 12:1-3, God tells Abraham that he will bless him so that Abraham can bless others. All blessings and every gift - and strength is a gift - are God's gifts, to be used for his purposes, which means to bless others. So men are meant to use their strength to protect and bless those who are weaker. That can mean other men who need help or it can mean women and children. True strength is always strength given over to God's purposes.

Courage in the ordinary

Reading this blog post was like drinking a creamy, frothy, hot chai latte on a cold rainy day. It was comforting and a little spicy. Comforting in that it reminded me that we "change the world" one little courageous act of faithfulness or kindness at a time. Spicy in that it challenged me to evaluate my current status against the "ordinary".

Most of the time, I don't understand why I'm where I'm at in my life - vocationally, mostly. Conceptually, I know that I'm here due to a combination of my own choices and God's design. But I don't really understand why I'm here.

And where's here, you may ask. Here is currently at executive training at a large conference center for a rather largish company. This company sells IT (information technology (computer) (that little explanation is for you, Mom)) services and accompanying hardware and software. I don't really like computers other than the communication outlet they provide me. I really only like technology when it advances or enhances my creativity. So the "here" in my life may (does) seem a little ill-fitting.

The "here" in the bigger sense is a career as an executive in this rather largish company. Is it what I ultimately would've chosen for myself? No. Is it where I am right now? Yes. Is it where God wants me to be ordinary and faithful and kind? Yes. Could He call me into a different direction soon? Possibly. Could He leave me "here" for the rest of my earthly life? Possibly.

The article helped me understand that instead of "changing diapers and doing dishes", my ordinary calling is to run a business and a team and provide value to clients. It reminded me that no matter what I'm doing with my life (by choice or the by the Hand of God), my duty and privilege is to be courageously ordinary and faithful and kind. And this ordinary life is easily transferable and transitional - if I'm faithful in this current ordinary "here", He will be faithful to give me the next ordinary "there" in His time and His place. If we are faithful in little, He will give us much. That is ordinary and comforting and a little spicy, too.