“My dad is stronger than your dad.”
“Oh yeah!”
“Yeah!”
“My dad is so strong; he can wrestle an alligator with his left arm while hitting a home run with his right arm. Beat that!”
“Oh yeah, well my dad is stronger than He-Man™ and The Hulk™ put together.”
Growing up, the neighborhood boys tested their manhood by arm wrestling, playing tackle football, or the ultimate “my dad is stronger than your dad threats.” As a child of the 1970s, these throw downs typically comprised of a comparison to a Super Man™, Bat Man™, The Incredible Hulk™, or He-Man™.
Raised in a house full of girls, I only experienced this testosterone driven male pecking order from the boys in the neighborhood. Like viewing a rare species of animals on an African safari, this fight for male ego and dominance was a spectacle to behold. I resigned that it must be a “boy thing.”
Strong but Silent
As a little girl, my dad displayed his physical strength by tossing me in the air or carrying me on his shoulders. I had no need to measure the circumference of his biceps because dad was always strong enough for every battle I faced.
Decades and two teenagers later, I am impressed by a different strength my dad possesses- a silent strength of surrender to the Lord. Dad is the strong but silent type. He possesses the rare discipline of self-control. This rare gem taught me when to speak and when to be silent; when to fight or when to let a comment go.
Strength of Surrender & Self-Control
Through my own battles, I am learning the greatest strength comes in knowing when not to fight. Surrender and self-control is a display of strength. Knowing what battles to fight and what battles to hand to the Lord.
When you understand the nature of the battle, you understand the nature of the strategy.
Pastor Steven Furtick
When attacked on every side, sometimes it takes more faith not to fight back. It takes more faith to surrender and possess incredible self-control. It takes more faith to surrender the battle that is too big for us to handle, to God and to let God handle it.
Photo by Lauren Lulu Taylor on Unsplash
Photo by Joey Nicotra on Unsplash
