'Where Have All the Good Men Gone?'

Has anyone noticed the alarming amount of single mothers out there, most with multiple children ( over two )?! ?Ever wonder why this might be? At the same time, interestingly enough, homosexuality, or at least bi-sexuality, seems to be becoming ever more popular! This is almost as alarming as the first, and more alarming to most Christians. Now, to be fair, not all homosexuals/lesbians have turned to that type of relationship because of the lack of good men, but I believe that common sense & experience would show that many have!

At the same time, rather than marriage ( even if there is a commitment, of sorts ) young women & men are proving it to be more popular to 'shack up'; to live together ( even to have children together ) without making a covenant of marriage together! Although, among non-Christians, this commitment would not be called a covenant, it's probably as close as they're ever going to get to true marriage before they meet Jesus! On the other hand, some Christians have opted to go the route of covenant marriage, which often includes the women retaining her maiden name, for whatever reason.

We, as men, have dropped the ball!

Either we let our spouse carry them around for us or we have no balls at all! ( Or maybe the problem is that they just haven't 'dropped' yet ) 'Where have all the good men gone?' Who the hell knows! There are good men to be found, for sure ( just ask some of the women I know )  but they are few and far between these days, it would seem! There is definitely a shortage of good men in this day & age, but to tell you the truth, many of the women aren't much better!

The prominence of 'shacking up', and living together ( 'in a relationship' ) is not all on the men; some women seem more then happy to follow this growing trend! One of the reasons for this, I believe, is that it make things simpler when problems arise and the commitment on either or both parts is not strong enough to survive it. This happens too quickly between properly married couples as well, but things get a bit more difficult when you're married. It's harder, especially for the women, to say goodbye, even to an abusive spouse ( women are, for the most part, more emotional )!

We at Covenant Community Church, have been listening to some great sermons recently, particularly from our one teaching elder ( preacher ), that have reminded us how the modern Church ( and when I say 'modern', that's a relative term ) has lost Her focus on The Story ( of God's People ) and thus have defaulted much of their position in this world & their responsibility as the Wife of Yahweh! We can actually see much parallel between this situation and that mentioned & discussed previously! Is it too much of a stretch to see that men have lost their goodness because they have lost touch with their own Father; that because of a lack of a right relationship with God, and their own kinship with His People ( past & present ), men & women have forgotten who they are & where they belong ( more importantly, to Whom they belong )?!

Women, no matter how much they may deny it, want & need our protection! This is because, for the most, women are quicker to form emotional bonds ( being, for the most part ) more emotional than men ( This is not always the case, with either all women or all men ). When we, as men, do not protect our women, as is too often the case, she will often seek that protection ( call it 'security if you like ) elsewhere, usually, from some other man! One of the main reasons that some women become known as 'easy' or loose' is because they are desperately seeking the protection & security that they are sure is out there somewhere! Some never find it, and give up on men entirely, while others , always seeking, never find it, and die from a broken heart!

There is a Balm in Gilead! There is Hope for the Hopeless! When one turns to the One who will never, no never leave us, nor forsake us; that one will find in Him, will find in true men of God the protection & security that she longs for! If men have lost their goodness because they've lost their God, women have lost hope because they've lost their One & Only hope!  Our God & Father is our only True Provider; He is the only One that will never fail us & the only One that will never leave us or forsake us! Men fail, women fail; they do not always like each other & they are not always there for each other; indeed, they cannot, by their very nature, be!

This is our Hope, our only Hope; a return to The Story & to its Author! Only a relationship with our Creator & with His Creation will do! Marriages that do not acknowledge this relationship have survived the test of time, seemingly, but at what cost? Can they really be called marriages? Though both parties may have fulfilled their contract ( on paper, anyway ); I believe it would be safe to say they are not really married, but simply going through the motions!

Let us take a stand and show that we are men, once more ( I speak for myself & those whose balls have yet to drop ); let us show our women that we can protect them & offer them security, and let us keep on doing this & never stop!

May it be,
Charles Haddon Shank