Council Community Church

Pastor's Corner

Big Daddy

What does it mean to be manly? Where can I find a picture of what real manhood looks like? Does it look like hunk Arnold (pronounced “Awnode”) Schwarzenegger? Does it look like heart-throb Brad Pitt? Does it look like rapper 50 Cent? Actually, I saw a movie last week that gave me a much better picture of true and genuine manhood than any of those guys. And you know what, it wasn’t even about a man! It was about penguins!

As I watched the male Emperor penguins selflessly sacrifice themselves for the sake of their mates and their offspring, I couldn’t help thinking about Jesus’ words: “You know that…rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)

The Emperor penguin male takes over the task of tending the single egg soon after it appears so that his mate, tired from producing the egg and in need of nourishment (she has lost 1/3 of her body weight), can walk to the food-laden ocean 70 miles away. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her…” (Ephesians 5:25-26)

The egg must be balanced on top of his feet constantly, with a flap of the belly covering it up. Otherwise the egg will immediately die from the cold (temperatures more than 80 degrees below zero with 100+ mph winds; brrrrr…). All of the penguin dads huddle together in a mass, helping each other stay warm enough that they don’t freeze to death. Some simply lie down and die from the trauma. But why are they exposing themselves to such extreme conditions? Because otherwise their baby will die; they’re willing to do whatever must be done for the benefit of their young.

"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

These penguin fathers will tend their egg – and then the hatched chick – for over 4 months of body-piercing Antarctic temperatures…without ever eating. By the time the female returns from the sea, the male has lost _ of his body weight. It’s no surprise, then, that some never survive their 70-mile walk back to the ocean, and food.

A willingness to sacrifice comfort, convenience, safety, and sometimes even life. And all of that for the benefit of mate and offspring. That’s the kind of man God is looking to produce! One who gives everything that he has to love his wife in a radically committed way. One who makes time to love and train his children well, because their future in a godless world depends upon it. A man who lives like Jesus.

Until next week: Viva la penguins!