For this week’s blog, I want to look more broadly at the issue of what it is to “be a man.”  Understand, though, that most of this applies to both men and women, though.    

          Men are designed to be strong and decisive by their very nature.  While often they can be bull-headed and stubborn, they also can be directed by the wisdom of another.  A problem with men, though, is that we also have the strong desire to be passive when the time of need comes.   We “wimp out” and fail to do what we know we should have done.  Looking back at the countless places where I could have acted and done something for the better of the situation, I know I am guilty of this crime.  So I urge those reading to be strong and courageous and to listen to those around us. 

          I also want to encourage men and women to be what Grace calls “servant leaders.”  Looking back at all those who have ruled all the various societies, we know that the tyrants all eventually were taken down and that those who serve rather than simply push are much more successful.  We need to serve each other that we might learn from each other.  Another tidbit of information I was given recently (from an author called Jon Acuff) was that a true leader does not look at a person thinking “what can I get from them” but “what can I give them.”  I have found myself analyzing just how I look at people from this simple idea. 

          These are just some thoughts I have been having recently and I wanted to get them down.  This has been a very, very brief look at the responsibilities we bear and I may choose to come back to this issue in the future.  So for now, just remember that we all need to look for what we can be giving others, rather than simply what we can be getting from them. 

Love Your Enemies

"It was Sam's first view of a battle of Men against Men, and he did not like it much. He was glad that he could not see the dead face. He wondered what the man's name was and where he came from; and if he was really evil of heart, or what lies or threats had led him on the long march from his home; and if he would not really rather have stayed there in peace."
- J.R.R. Tolkien

          Many of you who know me will know that my favorite author is J. R. R. Tolkien. Aside from his ridiculously awesome style of writing, he also takes the time to inject meaningful themes into his writing. The quote above is possibly my favorite of his writing and I think it is a great way to introduce today’s topic, which is understanding your enemies.
          The Bible in, Matthew 5:44, speaks of loving your enemies. Even if you do not believe its writings are inspired, we can all take wisdom from this. Even the least confrontational of people gain a few enemies. Whether these enemies are on a board game, at work, or on a battlefield, we do the same thing to them—we de-humanize them. Think about it—suppose we do not even call these people “enemies.” Even if we simply dislike people, we tend to think less of them; to think of them as some sort of evil irritant sent to destroy our lives. 

          Now let’s elevate things: now this person is going to literally destroy your life. He has a gun and is pointing it at you. Is he still less of a person? Does the fact that he is going to kill you make things different—especially when you are pointing a similar gun right back at him? No. People have reasons for doing the things they do, even if they are simply misguided or delusional.
          Here’s another quote on the topic from Editha, by William Dean Howells. This dialogue occurs when Editha comes to tell her would-be mother-in-law that her son has died after Editha pushed him into joining the war:

"You just expected him to kill some one else, some of those foreigners, that weren't there because they had any say about it, but because they had to be there, poor wretches--conscripts, or whatever they call 'em. You thought it would be all right for my George, your George, to kill the sons of those miserable mothers and the husbands of those girls that you would never see the faces of. [ ... ] I thank my God he didn't live to do it! I thank my God they killed him first, and that he ain't livin' with their blood on his hands!" 

          So I challenge you this week to really try to understand those that might annoy you or insult you. I challenge you to try to understand those that fight our soldiers over-seas. Do we not look the same to those we dislike? Always remember that ignorance is our enemy above people.

Introduction

          Indeed, readers, a miracle has happened! I have recently enrolled in the new Advanced Creative Writing class at Grace and as part of that class, I am required to submit a blog at least twice a month. What exactly does this mean? Well, firstly, this means I will have to be more consistent in my blogging. But this also means I might post something a little different than the standard blog from time to time. Feel free to continue to comment or critique no matter what though. And as always, I appreciate your faithfulness and look forward to your input.

For the newly expanded purpose of this blog, I will be introducing myself:

         

          Hello, my name is Trevor Franz. I am currently a senior at Grace University and I am majoring in Humanities – English (pretty much English). As indicated by both this blog and my major, I do plan on being a writer in the future, but in what form this comes to being is still yet to be determined. I am a follower of Christ, and proudly so. However, this does not mean this blog is only for Christians nor is it for me to preach at people. Mainly what I try to do is to get people thinking about different topics. Those who have read my blog would know at least one of my sayings that reflects most my blog ideas: "ignorance is the enemy." I have recently adopted another saying, which is: "indifference is death." What I mean by these is that I want people to take a side, but not to do so without gaining a better knowledge of things. If we face an opposing view, the best thing to do is not ignore or disregard it, but to study it and understand why people take that view. In any case, I welcome and ask for your input on both the topics at hand as well as on my writing. As an aspiring professional, I want to the best I can be and the best way to get there is by having people critique my writing.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing from you all!