(February 13, 2013)
Over the past 6 months, I have been living in community with three guys.
Eight months ago, we were complete strangers. Today, we are brothers; we share
in the mission to bring the light of Jesus Christ to the world (starting with
Benedictine College...baby steps :), we have shared gut-wrenching laughter,
failures from our past and in our current ministry, struggles, joys,
discernment, everything but the kitchen sink. Well, we haven't shared the
toilet or the shower either...I guess we have shared the kitchen sink.
Though there have been numerous occasions for which I have been proud to
know these men, today marked an incredible moment. We're a house of four men
so, naturally, there is a monthly issue of Sports Illustrated that makes its
way to our mail slot. Last month, as I was flipping through some sports-related
articles, I came across the page advertising for the February annual swimsuit edition.
Now, I love my sports. Grew up playing them, watching them, buying apparel for
my favorite teams. The first thing I will say is that I must have missed
something along the line when they introduced a degradation of women into the
sports arena. My parents never bought me a jersey for that one. Maybe I just
wasn't introduced to it. I don't think we have a professional team in Denver.
Well, when I came home this afternoon, there it was. The swimsuit edition
sitting on the floor at the bottom of our staircase leading into my home.
Without hesitation, I walked it up the stairs and took it straight where it
belongs: the garbage. I walked passed the garbage can a little later on in the
day to notice that it appeared to be gone. It was then that I realized the
courageous men that I live with. Shreds of pages were torn up amongst the old
banana peels, empty cans of beans, and other worthless items. These men are
willing to take the necessary measures to ensure that if there is even any sort
of temptation intruding our home that could lead any of us into sin, it must be
properly disposed of. Completely. I have never been more anxious to take out
the trash.
Men, if there is anything in your life that needs to be disposed of, take
the necessary measures. Don't let anything enslave your thoughts or actions. If
you need to, completely destroy whatever it is that leads you away from
becoming the BEST MAN you can be - for God, for your future wife and family,
and for yourself.
Do everything for the greater glory of God. Be virtuous.
Thank you to the men of the Green Door - Aaron Lofy, Brian Limas, and Jeff
Traughber - for sharpening me as a man as iron sharpens iron.
No comments:
Post a Comment