Be a Man! A real Man!

A while back, I was on my way to run an errand when I witnessed a serious car accident. A lady inexplicably ran full speed into a little car in front of her that was stopped at a stop light. I could tell that a number of people were hurt, so I jumped out of my car to go and offer any assistance that I could. An off duty police officer was on the scene. He went to assist the lady who had been hit from behind because she was obviously in a lot of pain with broken bones. He asked me to go check on the car who had caused the accident. When I got to the car there was a 5 year old little girl climbing around the car crying hysterically. The mother had a broken arm so she asked if I would hold her daughter and calm her down. I picked up the little girl and took her over to the ambulance to be checked out. Once she was cleared I held her and tried to distract her from the scary scene around her. She was a beautiful little girl with blond hair blue eyes. She looked a lot like my little daughter.

The thing that disturbed me most about the whole situation was what was scary to the girl. It was not the accident, her mom's broken arm, or the lady screaming in pain in the car that was hit. It was not the noise of the jaws of life that were cutting the lady out of the car, or the sirens and lights from the emergency vehicles. What she was most scared of was her father showing up. "My dad is going to be so mad at my mom!" She said through tears. "He will just be happy you guys are alright" I assured her. She responded, "No, he always yells at us, for everything, he is going to get so mad at us when we get home. I hope he does not hurt my mom".

Right at that moment her father arrived on the scene. Without sharing too many stereo types let me just say that he seemed to be trying in every way I can think of: the way he dressed, what he drove, the way he walked, even the way he spoke, to show he was a "real tough guy, a real man". When his daughter saw him she burried her head in my shoulder and said a line that has stuck with me ever since, "Oh no, my dad is here".

OH NO MY  DAD IS HERE!!!!!! That is what a dad appearing on such a scene made his daughter say. "Oh No!"

Christ is the ultimate example of what a real man is.

He walked up to me and his daughter and said "Give me my %$#&^*%$ daughter". Trying not to judge the guy too harshly I handed over this beautiful little girl to him and said, "Do you want to know what is sad bro, look around, the scariest thing on this scene right now to your daughter, is you, why don't you calm down and comfort your child."

As I have pondered that situation and that line, "Oh no my dad is here", I have come to realize something about what it means to be a real man.           



A real man makes others feel safe not scared.

I am not saying that real men are weak pacifists . I am saying that real men use their strength to bring peace, comfort and security to those around them not fear and trepidation. 

Have you thanked the real men in your life?
Have you thanked those who make things better, safer, more peaceful by their mere presence. If not maybe share this article with them and thank them this Father's day. I think it is time that we start to honor real men, and teach younger men what real men really are.

Happy Father's day to all of the real men in My life. Jay Martin, Shawn Martin, Shane Martin, Sheldon Martin, Chad Martin, Dustin Smith, Bill Paxton, Chris Paxton, Matt Booterbaugh, Adam Miller, Ryan Miller, Garry Phelps, Kent Bothwell, LeRoy hope, all of my uncles. Happy Fathers day! I have truly been blessed to be surrounded by real men!