In 1959, Warner Bros. produced my favorite western movie: Rio Bravo. The movie featured John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan, and Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez (a very thorough name, however inefficient). The story places the four actors together in flawless on-screen chemistry and their characters together in deadly peril with no easy way out. It's in situations like these that men are refined, and in Rio Bravo, that's exactly what happened. Martin's character, Dude, had been a good sheriff's deputy, fast with a gun, but that was long ago. He had suffered a painful loss, turned to drinking, and over time had become the town drunk, with hands too shaky to be any good to a man who lived on the difference between himself and the man drawing against him. But during the course of the movie, Dude came to understand that his friends needed him, but couldn't depend on him. So he sobered up. Given the decision to lay down or to become a better man, he chose the latter.
Gentlemen, we live in times that find us working to hold the line against an advancing enemy. We cannot afford to lay down, surrendering to the lusts of our flesh. And our families certainly can't afford to have us surrender. We must submit to the Lord's refinement of our hearts and minds. Often his refinement takes the form of discipleship, humbling ourselves to be trained by our brothers who have understanding and wisdom that we don't.
As metal in a forge is heated until it becomes malleable, so our hearts become willing when we are humbled by exposure to the truth of the Word of the Lord (Isaiah 6:5, Romans 10:17). As the glowing metal is hammered into shape on the anvil, so are we transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2, James 1:23-25). As metal is tempered by rapid heating and cooling, so is our faith strengthened by trials (James 1:2-4). And as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend (Proverbs 27:17). It will take heat. It will take hammering and grinding. For a man to willingly subject himself to training, study, discipleship, and the beauty and strength that come along with them, will take humility, courage, and a sober understanding of what will be required of him. This is our birthright as men.