As we continue our series on Manhood mattering, we’ve discussed the need for poets, knights, heroes, and good men. And now we bring up society’s need for warriors. As images of battlefields and painted faces begin to flood our minds, let’s pause and think more along the lines of what it means to be a warrior than what warriors do. Part of being a mature man is embracing a warrior ethos and basing our actions on it.
What is a warrior?
We have plenty of examples throughout history of warriors. Whether it’s the cry of Leonidas in “300,” “This is Sparta,” or the tales of the Samurai, or stories from the Greatest Generation during World War II, tales of warriors persist throughout culture. And, as men, we should seek to be warriors of a sort.
But what makes up a warrior? If you’d like to read about the Warrior Archetype, check here. But the warrior ethos is something that falls directly in line with the created order and role assigned by our Creator God, specifically in the vein of protection and provision for our families. In many ways, our families need us to be warriors, to fight and care for them amid the social craziness that persists.
Aggression
Among the characteristics of a warrior, one sticks out: Aggression. The warrior is aggressive in all areas of life, yet knows how to control that aggression. Whether he’s grinding to create passive income for his family, chasing dreams, or actually defending the family, aggression is necessary. But there is a caveat to this aggression because when misused it is destructive.
Often the discussion of aggression is one that is negatively driven. And our perceptions of what aggression can be are often seen with bad or disapproving looks. Aggression isn’t an inherently bad thing. In fact, aggression by itself is a neutral concept/characteristic. The people who embody aggressive traits make it a good or bad thing. A good person who is aggressively pursuing their goals, dreams, and their family makes aggression good. While the same is true of bad men who are aggressive. Thus, it is important that aggression is seen and handled with the right spirit, bringing aggression under control.
Aggression under control is necessary for being a warrior. In fact, many martial arts are built upon this concept. Someone who has the ability to do insane amounts of damage, yet they don’t because they’re under control of their aggression. Even Jordan B. Peterson says, “A harmless man is not a good man.”
It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.
Joe Rogan quoting Lao Tzu.
Our capacity for aggression is necessary for our ability to protect our family, and to be a warrior for them. As we think about our children and their need for protection, consider this:
If you want to be the protector, be the warrior.
Disciplined
We talk about this all the time on the 2 Chaps Pod, but discipline has to be a part of the life of a husband and dad. The best warrior is the most disciplined warrior. Discipline is a matter of freedom and control, being the master of your schedule and tasks rather than letting them master you.
When we are disciplined we are able to control the time that we have. We accomplish what needs to be accomplished and then are able to be present in the lives of our wives and children. In discussing the warrior and masculinity, Brett McKay from the “Art of Manliness,” says this, “It is the mastering of your intention and strength to find discipline and power in every aspect of your life that distinguishes the warrior from the common man.”
Be disciplined and let the discipline create freedom for you. This discipline will actually work with the aggression aspect of being a warrior too, for through discipline you’re able to control the monster within, which isn’t a bad thing.
Be the Warrior you Were created to be
It seems like we stole the Army slogan, “Be all you can be,” here but we didn’t. The reality is that we’ve been created as men to provide, protect, love, serve, and train (or disciple) our families. It takes being a warrior to do this. There must be aggression to chase ferociously the dreams and path God has put before you and discipline to attain them.
As a warrior, we have to understand that this is exactly how God created us. There’s an innate desire to protect, to be aggressive, to be disciplined and these days we’re being told that to be these things it’s considered “toxic.” But there’s nothing toxic about what God has created and considered “very good.” Yet, it is our responsibility to understand this role of warrior and chase after it in order to honor our Creator.
Our standing before God is of most importance and obviously, our relationship with our Creator must be what we chase most aggressively. For we cannot lead our family well, protect our family completely, or train (disciple) our family effectively if we do not first have an aggressive and discipline relationship with God.
Jonathan was a warrior.
David was a warrior.
Christ is coming back as a warrior.
Be a warrior.
