Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Growing up I heard a great deal of sayings or expressions on a regular basis, some I thought were good, some I thought were not so good. Some of these sayings were “A man will be a man.” the others were “Man up” or “Take it like a man.” Now on the surface they sound okay, but the fact is they didn’t mean back then what they probably would mean today; or would they? Back in the day, they weren’t just being said by men, but by women also. Now you may be asking yourself, what is the big deal they’re just sayings? Well let me explain the meaning behind them, then, you can judge for yourself.
“A man will be a man,” translation……It is in a man’s nature to do whatever he is going to do (cheat). You, as a woman, just need to accept it. If he wants to run around just let him, he will eventually get tired and come back.
“Man up” or “Take it like a man,” translation…….men aren’t suppose to cry or show any sign of weakness, you don’t need anybody, suck it up, don’t show any emotions, don’t be a punk.
I disagree with all. I don’t know about you, but this can mess a child up well into adulthood if this is all you hear on a daily basis. I never cared for the term, or said to a man, “A man will be a man” because even as a child I knew what it meant….. I saw it firsthand. I never believed in sharing and still don’t.
Whenever, I would hear a woman say this, it would send chills up my spine. I couldn’t understand why they would think so little of themselves. My thought process was, “well a woman needs to be a woman and get rid of his sorry butt.” Why would you want someone to use you as a belly warmer at their discretion? Now a days they would call this “a booty call.” One thing I found out about these type of so called men… they can dish it, but they can’t take it, and the women who let them get away with it usually end up alone and miserable. My momma use to say, “A man can’t do no more than a woman let him.”
The sayings, “Man Up” and “Take it like a Man” should mean, “Handle your business, and take care of your family.” I believe that some men aren’t being “Real men.” Women are taking on responsibilities that they weren’t designed to. They are holding down jobs, raising children and running their households single handedly, while their husbands /ex-husbands, or baby daddies aren’t pulling their weight. They’re not “MANNING UP” and literally “Taking it like a man.” Truth being told this is nothing new, woman have always had to handle their business. The phrase should have been “Take it like a WOMAN.”
The truth is we don’t want your job. WE ARE TIRED! God didn’t design women to carry the load. We were created to help men with the load, to be help meets. I believe this is why a lot of women are suffering with all types of illnesses. It is time for men to take their rightful place in their families and be the husbands and fathers that God created them to be. When men learn to submit to the will of God, show some humility, and learn to depend on the true and living God there would be fewer problems with our children, especially our young boys.
What gets me is that some men can get up early for a job, shout and yell at a football game or a sporting event, get dressed up and go here or there and attend this or that function or meeting, but when it comes to going to church or bible study, praying with and for their families, spending time with them, supporting them and staying true to their vows and commitments they have a problem.
When it comes to worshiping and praising the Lord in church or at home; they just sit there and say, “it doesn’t take all of that.” Thank God for the men who don’t mind praising and worshiping the Lord. My theory is that they have a hard time worshiping what they don’t see. They can’t submit to someone who is asking them to let go of the world and value what is truly important. Also, it could be that no one ever showed them how to be a man.
If men would let go and let God use them the devil would tremble. Women would be set free do be who God called us to be. Families would be stronger. Blessings will flow. Souls would be saved. The land will be healed. The Bible says in (1Cr. 13:11) when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. Brothers don’t stay down; we sisters need you to ….”MAN UP!”
©Copyright 11/09
Ella D. Fleming
