I was watching a commercial the other day. One of those car insurance ones. You know the type. Husband and wife standing in the driveway. She is sharp, decisive, already has the app pulled up and the quote locked in. He is standing there looking confused. Maybe scratching his head. Maybe saying something slightly dumb...
There was a season in my life where I felt like I owed everybody a reason. Why I believed what I believed. Why I led the way I led. Why I was not more flexible, more open, more willing to meet people in the middle on things God already settled. I was exhausted before noon...
I used to think being strong meant never letting anyone see the strain. Keep the face neutral. Keep the voice steady. Handle whatever comes and handle it alone. Never ask for help because asking for help meant you were not equipped for the load you were carrying. I wore that version of strength for years....
There is a version of you that never got built. Not because you were not capable. Because somewhere along the way the right voice at the right moment never showed up. Nobody handed you the blueprint. Nobody pulled you aside and said – this is what a man does, this is how a man thinks,...
I have met men who were completely different people depending on the room. At church, humble and soft-spoken. At work, sharp and decisive. At home, checked out and unavailable. Around their boys, loud and reckless. Each version carefully adjusted for the audience. It is exhausting to watch. I can only imagine how exhausting it is...