Raising Soft Sons in a Hard World

The world will tell you to raise your sons to be tough. Independent. Self-sufficient. To never show weakness, never cry, never need anyone.

That's not biblical manhood. That's just pride with muscles.

Yes, teach your boys to be strong. But teach them that real strength is carrying someone else's burden. Real toughness is being tender with your wife when you've had a hard day. Real courage is admitting when you're wrong.

The strongest men I know aren't the ones who never bend—it's the men whose strength is surrendered to Christ. They may be tough on themselves, but they're gentle with others. They can lead their family through a trial but also sit on the floor and play games with their kids.

Teach your sons to work hard, to protect, and to provide for their future family. But also teach them to wash dishes, change diapers, and apologize when they're wrong. Show them that crying at a funeral or a tragedy in life isn't weakness. That asking for help isn't failure—it's actually wisdom.

The world needs men who are hard where it counts—hard against sin, hard against compromise, hard against the enemy. But soft toward God, soft toward their families, soft toward the hurting.

Don't raise your sons to fit the world's mold of masculinity. Raise them to look like Jesus—who was strong enough to overturn tables in the temple yet tender enough to hold children in His arms.

That's the kind of man your future daughter-in-law will thank you for.