The Encouraging Call to Manhood!

by steve | Apr 12, 2018 | Men

It was late November of 96 and we were packing up to move north for our first full-time ministry after returning from the mission field.  The process included securing a moving truck and car trailer in tow.  I had never driven anything as big as this truck before and I was a bit concerned, especially with the car trailer attached. My dad never taught me how to handle anything this big before when I was a kid. Actually, he had never really encouraged me that I could do anything bigger than my present reality.

But my friend Todd, who is now a Bible Translator in Papua New Guinea, was with me as we made the final connections for the tail lights.  We wiped our hands off and took a deep breath from a job well done. Then, after another deep breath, I said, “Todd, you know, I’ve never really driven anything this big before and honestly I’m a bit afraid that I’m going to wreck it or something.”  Todd just looked at me and nodded his head once with a small smile. I went on, “but I guess I just need to be a man about it and push forward.”  Again, Todd just gave a small smile and quick nod and only offered the one-word response of, “yup.”

That’s really all there was to it from then on out. We prayed, asking for God’s help. I then shook Todd’s hand, thanked him, and then climbed into the cab and took off.  But that’s what I needed.  I needed another guy just to tell me that I was a man and that I could do it. (more…)