When the going gets tough.... the tough lay down their lives

When the going gets tough.... the tough lay down their lives most men are familiar with the phrase “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!” There is surely some natural virtue in “toughness” and it is important to train and challenge yourself as a man so that you will grow in “toughness” in many areas of your life: work, school, sport, etc. However, Christ, who epitomized toughness, shows us a different way as my wife would say, a paradoxical way. What is a paradox? The Christian worldview is filled with them; it is an apparent contradiction that is in fact true: To lose one’s life is to save it (Matt 16:25).

Men need to be tough. This is truism of masculinity. I was speaking with my warrior brother Mike Lammers about this yesterday and we were talking about how men will come in all shapes and sizes with many and varied talents and that is what God has designed – not a “one warrior- size fits all”. Embrace this! But remember, to be tough is to love greatly...this is the paradoxical mystery of Christ. To conquer the world, He laid down his life. 1 John 3:16 says, “The way we came to understand love was that he laid down his life for us; we too must lay down our lives for our brothers”. Build your toughness this week, lay down your desires, needs, wants, and do something for someone else, out of love. When the going gets tough, the tough lay down their lives.

Pray daily, build brotherhood, grow in virtue.