The Apple of my Eye

"A man entrusted with God's work must be blameless ~ 

not overbearing, not quick-tempered,

not given to drunkenness, 

not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.  

Rather, he must be hospitable,

one who loves what is good, 

who is self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.  

He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message

as it has been taught, 

so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine

and refute those who oppose it."

Titus 1:7-9

It seems incredible that men like this could exist.  It seems too much to ask that one man could have all of these qualities.  Especially in this day and age. 

Our culture celebrates women.  We herald the do-it-all supermom, the career woman, the single mother.  And often these women have our admiration or our pity because of the men in their lives ~ or lack thereof.  A man is her competition in the workplace; a man left her for someone younger and prettier; or he stays married to her because he's too dumb to find his own socks.

Men are the "bad guys" in the dramas, and the idiots in the sitcoms.  No one would put down the status of women in our society, because it's politically incorrect.  But we have no qualms about men as the butt of our jokes.  

But men like Paul described to Titus do exist.  I know several.  I'm married to such a man.  He is a doer of God's work.  Gentle, mild, even-tempered, sober, honest, welcoming, generous.  He is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.  He holds firmly to the Word, using it to encourage and teach others, but also knows it is an integral part of the armor he dons every day as a soldier of Christ.

I think the greatest accomplishment he can claim, though, is who he is to me.  On a daily basis, I thank God for choosing this man to be the Apple of my Eye; to love, protect, care for and strengthen me.  And I thank God for the father this man is to the two Amazing and Awesome children who are so precious to me.  For God has entrusted this man with a daughter, for whom he is the example of what she should expect in a man; and a son, whom he is raising to also meet the description Paul gave to Titus.

There are untold numbers of men like this.  They're not very well represented on sitcoms or in women's magazines, but they are quietly and faithfully doing the work of God ~ fighting the good fight.

If you know such a man, thank him.

And then thank God.

~ "He encircled him, He instructed him,

He kept him as the apple of His eye" ~

Deuteronomy 32:10