Commentary by Bruce Ray, Pastor
While searching online for some photos of fathers and sons, I came across some very disturbing pictures that I believe reveal our distorted ideals of manhood. First was a picture of Adam Sandler’s new movie, “That’s My Boy” which tries to out-raunch the “Hangover” series. Like Father, like son, and ain’t we proud. The next was a photo of a little boy in diapers (fatigue print no less) wearing combat boots and holding an automatic weapon. Which led me to a You Tube treasure trove of fathers and young sons having wonderful bonding moments shooting off AK-47s and high powered rifles.
This is what Father’s Day has come to: celebrating sex and violence and getting drunk and peeing in public. And we wonder why boys are messed up.
I’m grateful that my father demonstrated something entirely different. And I’m grateful that he taught me to follow in the footsteps of Jesus–a man who was so comfortable with who he was that he didn’t have to live by the skewed images of maleness and yet was strong and courageous in the face of opposition. I hope that more fathers will devote themselves to teaching their children to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
Any guy can have sex, shoot guns and fall down drunk. It takes a special man to do better.
Kimball AveNEWS 