Final Thoughts on Hero

In case you didn't read my first or second post on Hero, it's a book written by my friend Fred Stoeker and his son Jasen. Here's a brief description from Amazon:

You already know it’s not easy being a single man in this culture today. But it is easy to be overwhelmed, to feel helpless and hopeless about living by God’s high standards for singles. It’s easy to cave in to the pressures of this sex-soaked world and accept defeat–blaming the media, the culture, even girlfriends who don’t know how tough it can be.

But many men have read books like Every Young Man’s Battle and Tactics and have committed themselves to stand strong and pure in the power of God, and to go on the offensive against the onslaught of negative stereotypes. Some have suffered. Some have fallen. But many have experienced victory–and you can be among them.

What makes those committed men so desirable to women? Be Her Hero is their motto. From best-selling author Fred Stoeker, along with his son Jasen, come the straightforward insight and real-life examples you’re looking for to help you take personal purity to its logical conclusion. Here’s straight truth with irrefutable evidence of what makes an ultimate hero to women who long for men of faith–men who stand by their convictions and make their world a safer and better place.

Are you ready to accept the challenge?

As I was finishing Hero I started to have some interesting thoughts. First of all I'm a blessed man as I met my wife at age 15 and was married by 21 so a book about being a single male may not sound like it would be applicable for me. I do however have lots of single guy friends and two boys of my own that I have been entrusted with to raise. It was my boys I was thinking about as I read about Jasen having his first ever kiss on his wedding day. It was my boys I was thinking about as I read about Jasen being made fun of for excusing himself from class as they watched a PG13 movie. I read Jasen's story and couldn't help but keep thinking, is this how I need to raise my kids? Is it worth the social pains and awkward questions they would have to endure?

I already posted this but it's worth mentioning again. Here's what Rose, Jasen's wife, said:

"but because Jasen had been pure, he could offer me this one place of perfect security in my life where I knew I'd never be compared to another woman. What a gift - one that few women will receive from their husbands."

Do I love my boys and my future daughters-in-law enough to at least teach this to my boys? To encourage them to be somewhat of an outcast at school and in their social circles? To be so dramatically different in how they approach this "sex-soaked" world? To make their search for a wife even more difficult if they hold her to these same standards? I trust that God's plan is best and this seems to be very much His plan. Because of my love for my kids and their future spouses I need to do all I can to teach them how to live according to God's purposes in all aspects of their lives. I obviously can't control what my kids will do but my responsibility lies in teaching them and praying desperately that they will respond to God's call in their lives.

To check out more of Fred's books follow this link. I think my favorite book of Fred's from that list would have to be Every Man's Marriage. Check them all out.