“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
While there are many great parenting books out there, I love that James Dobson’s Bringing Up Boys distinguishes the uniqueness of how God created boys.
“Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails – that’s what little boys are made of.”
Maybe it is a stereotype, but it rings true, at least in our household.
If you are a mom of a young noble warrior, you have probably noticed something similar in your boys starting at a very young age – fighting monsters, climbing trees, mimicking superheroes. This type of play prepares him for some of the roles he will play as a man. To me, they sound similar to the men’s needs John Eldredge breaks down in his book Wild at Heart: A Battle to Fight, An Adventure to Live, A Beauty to Rescue. God has uniquely wired us differently. It goes beyond cultural stereotypes into the purpose and plans that He has for his children, both male and female.
Moms, your role in loving your son’s adventurous heart and allowing him to pursue adventure is crucial.
Jack Ward in Rugged Faith emphasizes that his natural bent towards adventure can even play a pivotal role in his decision to pursue Christ.
“When we can blend adventure and Christianity into the lives of men, we have a much better chance of reaching them for Christ. When a man can see… that a Christian man can be wild and adventurous like God made him, he can begin to find his God-given purpose in life.”
For years, I’ve spoken with mom’s church groups on Loving Your Man’s Adventurous Heart. In fact, we recently created a short course on the topic because the feedback we’ve gotten is that so many ladies find it valuable in better understanding how God uniquely created their husbands. I’d love to encourage you in the same way as you raise your sons.
Those frogs and snails, that dirt they always seem to find, the adventures they invent when they are young, and those they continue to seek out as they grow and mature, are all part of their makeup as a young Noble Warrior. One day he may put that heart for adventure to good use for the work of the Kingdom.