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You Will Always Be Remembered
mrwofford2.jpg
Tommie Wofford Sr.

It is never easy dealing with the death of someone that you love, but on June 12, 2003 my husband and his family said, "Good-bye" to an awesome husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and cousin.  I was asked to speak on behalf of the family at his funeral services.  In my mind there were so many things that I could have said, but God inspired me to write an article that epitomized my father-in-law's life. 
 
I believe that it is worth sharing with my readers because both women and men alike need to know what is meant by the term "true manhood".  My husband's father was a man who understood "true manhood".  As you read the article entitled "The Spirit Of The Man",  pray that God will instill this type of spirit in all males throughtout the world.  This issue of REACH Magazine is dedicated to my father-in-law, Tommie Wofford Sr.
 
The Editor

The Spirit Of The Man

 

The spirit that a man lives by is the spirit in which he will be remember.

 

The "Spirit Of A Man", who can be known to us as husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, nephew, uncle, father-in-law, brother-in-law and friend is one of "true manhood".  Charles Swendoll says that "true manhood" calls for "discipline of character, strong determination to set a course of action, and courage to stay at a task".  He is an "authentic man" because he is not afraid to show affection, release his feelings, hug his children and grandchildren, cry when he is sad, admit it when he is wrong, and ask for help when he needs it. 

 

A "mature" man fulfills at least five wonderful traits of a husband and father in the home. 

1.      Loving Affection: Affection means, "to feel oneself drawn to something or someone".  He paints the picture of a father who holds and treats his wife, children and family tenderly.  He demonstrates his feelings of love and acceptance to all of his family, both male and female alike.

2.      Translucent Life: He imparts not only the life of Christ into his family, but also into his own life.  This is a man who contributes into their souls by sharing fully his experiences as a child growing up, and the history of his forefathers/mothers.  He knows that there are times when he needs to be forgiven; therefore, he has a willingness to admit failure and wrongdoing.

3.      Selfless Diligence: A hardworking man who understands what it means to be "the provider" of his family is a selfless one.  He helps his children to discover what it means to be industrious and devoted to a job.

4.      Spiritual Authenticity: His life is like a coin; he has two sides.  On one side he "proclaims" the gospel of Jesus Christ, and on the other side he behaves like a man who loves God.  He is truly a spiritual leader in his home who is devoted and dedicated to the work of God's Kingdom.

5.      Positive Influence: As a father this type of man is one of active encouragement.  He does not focus on the negative or the wrong, but rather on the positive.  Each day of his life he deposits into the memory banks of his family those qualities that build and lead to healthy, long-lasting relationships.

 

Families who have this type of male leader can say, "We are a strong family, and it's not by accident".  They understand that effective family life does not just happen, its the result of premeditated intention, strength of mind, and practice.  

 

The people that this kind of man influences will have a knowing that their family will remain strong long after he has departed this life.  These families remain strong by:

1.      Staying committed to the family

2.      Spending time together

3.      Having good family communication

4.      Expressing appreciation to each other

5.      Having a spiritual commitment

6.      Remaining able to solve problems

 

The "Spirit Of A Man" identified above is best expressed in Galatians 5:22-23.  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law".