The Seven Men A Man Has To Be Pt.1

When we are little boys, we all dream of what we want to be when we grow up. Firefighter, policeman, astronaught, etc. Sometimes we change those ideas or sadly let them go. What we don't realize is that when we do grow up and start a family that regardless of our real profession, is that we have to be all of these people. Not at the same time nor in any particular order, but as the need arises. I have chosen seven men that I believe a man has to be in his life and to his family. The first man is the firefighter.

1. The Firefighter

The idea of the firefighter came from a commercial I saw for the Kirk Cameron movie "Fireproof". I have not yet seen this movie, but here is what ispired me. In the clip Kirk Cameron's character and another are sitting at a table. Kirks friend makes a statement to him like this. " You will rush into a burning building and risk your life for people you don't even know, but you won't try to save your own family".
I thought about this statement and how it pertained to the attitude of divorce we see currently. I know of people whom I never would have thought about them getting divorced that have called it quits.
This is why I believe the firefighter is a needed characteristic among men. The man of the family as the firefighter must learn where and when and what to do to put out fires that can break forth in his family. These fires can be anything from a small disagreement that could potentially become a big arguement to living issues such as bills and payments that may come up unexpectedly. At my job we have a term that we use when issues arise that need immediate attention before they become bigger issues. The term we use is "Putting out fires".
When a firefighter is putting out a fire, he doesn't spray water on the flames. Spraying water on just the flames won't put the fire out. He has to focus the spray of water at the base of the flames to extinguish it. This is kinda like an example of the family. When there is an issue, you must get to the base or root of it to solve it. Lots of people/families will think they have solved an issue or problem because they cease to see smoke or flames, when in reality there is still smoldering coals that could flare up again. Hot coals from a fire can burn long after the absence of smoke and flame. Men, don't avoid those little sparks or that breif smell of smoke. Ladies, women can be firefighters to. Take your places at Fire Station No. 1. Your family.

In Christ, Kevin