For men.
I was privileged to speak to a Saturday morning men’s group this past weekend at a church in Maryland.
After a hearty breakfast of eggs, pancakes, sausage and scrapple, I was asked to share whatever was on my heart.
What’s on my heart is the crisis of men trying to go it alone.
For some reason, it seems we are wired that way. I know I am.
It’s time for some rewiring guys.
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Genesis 2:18 says, “It is not good for man to be alone.” It’s written in the context of God creating a woman to walk along side the sole man, but it is an important truth beyond that. God created us to walk together, not in isolation.
Men walking together make each other stronger. Proverbs calls it, “iron sharpening iron”. Without brotherhood, we’re more likely to get weak and more prone to fall.
I learned about the importance of brotherhood from many men in my life, but none so profound as when my friend John asked me to tell him my story. We barely knew each other at that point, but he told me he could see that I had been broken…and I was trying to put it back together. He said he recognized it because he has been there.
I spilled my guts to him for the next two hours, and I discovered how healing it can be to have another man in your life who will listen without judgement and be vulnerable to you as well. Accountability isn’t about shame. It’s about strength, freedom and grace.
John and I live in different states and only see each other a couple times a year, if we’re lucky. But we have a lifelong bond, and he knows he can call me day or night…and I can do the same. Our friendship is a safe place for both of us.
Life is hard. Having a brother to encourage you can be a lifeline to keep going. Isolation makes you an easy prey for discouragement.
Galatians 6:2 — “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Brotherhood means sharing the weight—whether it’s temptation, grief, or responsibility. Strong men admit when the load is heavy, and let others help carry it.
Jesus chose 12 men to walk with him daily. He didn’t go it alone. Why would we think we can?
Finding a brother or two that you can be completely honest with is not easy. But it will change your life.
It takes time. It takes intention. It takes humbling yourself and realizing you may be a tough guy on the outside, but your inside world is done trying to do this thing alone.
The best way to find a 2 am friend like this?
BE a 2 am friend like this.
(If this resonates with you, and you need a kick in the pants to get started, drop me an email. Our church has just launched a great initiative called Brotherhood and I can try to get you plugged into a group of like-minded men in your area - if you live in or near Delaware.)
billsammons@comcast.net
Yes.
Well said.