After
reading this article the other day, my
heart quite literally broke in half as I came to grips with the reality of
where we--yes, us screwed up men--really are. (What happened to men who were
willing to say something like this?)
Men
who were created to lead and love and protect, men who once knew how to be
honorable and what it meant to be chivalrous, have sunk lower than ever before.
And, while this isn't the first time we have failed you, dear members of the
fairer sex, it is certainly the most grave of our offenses.
From
the beginning of time, we've blamed you for the sin, we've cursed you for a lie,
we've hurt you for the pleasure. We, so undeserving to be called men, have simply let
you down.
Today, I have no
excuses; no challenges or charges or even an explanation. Today, all I want to
say is that I'm sorry. Heaven knows I'm sorry, and by hell I know I've done
wrong. Because when it comes down to it, not one of us has done our job. Not
one of us has lived up to being men. We need to try harder, to know what it
means to really bleed for the other sex, and I am truly sorry that we have not.
Standing in
representation for what small handful of men are out there willing to humble
themselves before you, I ask forgiveness. Forgive us for our pride, for our
lust, for our impatience, for our disrespect, for our spite, for our shame, for
our apathy, for our laziness. Forgive us for doing too little and for defiling
you too much.
Forgive us for deserting
you when you've needed us most; for not respecting you, for not caring enough,
for not honoring you; for degrading you, your bodies, and your hearts by
playing with you like objects; for hurting and betraying you by ripping apart
your hearts; for having no control over our wandering thoughts; for selfishly
using you to get what we want; for lying to you when we say we love you; for
letting you fall and not bothering to help you back up.
Forgive us for not being
the men you need or deserve.
We've screwed up, and
there's nothing we can say or do to ever become the men you truly need. So
please, despite the hope you've rightfully lost in us, forgive us because
that's all we have left to offer.
But, regrettably, the
painful truth is that I know not every man wants to be forgiven, and none of us
deserve to be forgiven. Some men enjoy hurting you. So I ask not for them, but
for me if nothing else; that despite my imperfections yesterday, today, and tomorrow:
Forgive me. I don’t want to be a carnal male animal. I
want to be a Man. Not a perfect man, but perhaps a decent enough one to be able
to say I love you without any malice. To be able to respect you all if only
because of what you are, and to be able to love you not for what you are, but
who each of you are.
With that, I lay it in
your hands. I don’t expect to be forgiven or understood. I simply hope you know
how truly, truly angry I am at the men in the world, and how sorry I am to you.
Sincerely,
Another unworthy man.
It's really hard to know how to reply in light of such a hefty post - I mean, you really covered some ground there.
ReplyDeleteMiguel, thank you for your honesty. For me, it meant so much. Man, just to hear a young guy understanding how men have really fallen. Not because I want you guys to feel like criminals, but because if the men in our world don't shape up and lead, I'm afraid no one will. If father's don't stay, who can say that women will be faithful and mother their children?
I cried. Yes, you made me cry. I could almost hear your heart bleeding for others who are bleeding. Your sympathy and compassion means more than you know. I pray that as you encounter women just on your day-to-day basis, that you will see them - not as faceless people - but as woman with a story. Sadly, a majority of them have painful ones; more than you know. I hope that you will see her and seize the opportunity to maybe be that ONE MAN she has ever encountered that was a TRUE MAN - who shows respect, courtesy and deals with her like Christ would. If you can be that example for us, we will be in debt to you forever.
And men aren't all to blame. So are women. It was us who beat you all down in the rise of feminism. We told you guys that you weren't worthy of respect and that we needed to share in that. We are the ones who dress provocatively and seduce your minds. We are the ones who enjoy seeing a man fall because of us. We know we have the keys to your hearts and have misused that God-given responsibility.
Forgive me, Miguel. I've played a part in this sad game as well.
Of course you are forgiven. I forgive you and am so very thankful for you sincere honesty.
You know the great part is that we are all forgiven. Jesus took care of all this a looong time ago. Praise Him! Where would our hope be?
I know that you are striving to be like our Lord. This makes me so excited. After reading this post, I prayed, "Raise Miguel up to be a man and a leader." That is my prayer for you. I'm praying that you, though young and probably feeling inadequate, will be one who is willing to show the way to Christ and Biblical manhood for all the men desperately lost.
Your Cuz (Another Unworthy Human),
Ashley
Thanks for the provoking words, Cuz.
ReplyDeleteI agree; I don't want men to feel like criminals, but sometimes I think they should realize the weight of their crimes. All men sin, so I do consider all men criminals--except that the ransom's been paid by a better man :)
And it truly does break my heart when I discover any person's story. It seems that not a single person doesn't have one... And I don't want anyone to be indebted--the first debt is always the greatest. If you are to be indebted, let it be to a different person.
Thank you for reading, for the encouragement, and--most of all--for the prayer. God knows I need them.
God bless~
Wow! You completely blew me away with your honesty and sincerity. It's not everyday that I come across a blog like yours.
ReplyDeleteI forgive you from the bottom of my heart! How could I refuse such an honest and heartfelt apology.
I agree with Ashley. Men aren't all to blame. There is evidence of it in Matthew chapter 5. "Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery WITH her in his heart"
Note: it doesn't say against her, but WITH her. so there is obvious fault on both sides. Wherefore, we must apologize for causing you men to stumble and fall. We have a part in that. So I am asking you to forgive me. I can't write a complete, and eloquent apology as yours, but I can give you my humble apology.
God Bless you very much!