The kitchen has the sound of Door County Highlander Grog Coffee dripping into the pot. It's time to finish this and get ready for work.
I was telling my friends about one of my neighbors who assisted in a food drive sponsored by young boys and men. They were expecting to receive a small bag of groceries for the local food pantries, but when they showed up at my neighbors house he opened his garage and much to their surprise there were about 12 cases of food. They were all filled with can goods. The boys and their leader worked together and carried the cases to the van they were hauling the groceries to.
When they were finished my neighbor lined them all up, looked them all in the eye and shook each boy's hand and thanked them for what they were doing in the community. He didn't treat them like little boys. He gave them a man's handshake and looked them right in the eye. That impressed me to no end. On that day these 7 and 8 year olds were treated like men. Now we do need to remember to let little boys be boys, but from early on we should teach them the fine points of manhood. Not long ago a group of teens male and female walked by me and someone smelled like a sweet lilac bush. I asked them who was wearing the nice perfume, thinking I would purchase a bottle for Rene. Much to my surprise a young man answered. "I am. It's cologne not after shave and it has lilac and lavender in it". Wow it did not leave me with the impression of what a man should wear but to each their own. I said thank you and offered him a hand shake. What I received was a limp hand and a slight squeeze of my fingers. Wow when did we stop teaching the firm hand shake and a square look into the eyes?
Proverbs 22:6New King James Version (NKJV)
6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it
And when he is old he will not depart from it
I am challenging all you guys out there to treat a boy or two to a sincere handshake. They can't act like men if we don't teach them. Bend down and reach out to a little guy and shake his hand. tell him you are glad he is here. We owe it to them to lead them to an active faith most of all. But who doesn't remember their first handshake? I know I do. It felt like a vice grip on my hand but it was so much better than a pat on the head! It made me want to try shaving and after I butchered my face I splashed some after shave on and that however did bring tears to my little boy eyes. The shaving could wait. But I had someone that I respected shake my hand.
Have a great day!
Marty
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