MAN'S LAST STAND?

Due to my hasty and ill-advised pledge not to post about football anymore until next season, I will limit my comments about today's superbowl to the commercials.

I was struck by the commercial for the Dodge Charger entitled "Man's Last Stand." It reminded me of a quote I read recently by the 19th century, English publisher and author, Edward Verrall Lucas, "The trouble with marriage is that, while every woman is at heart a mother, every man is at heart a bachelor."

The central premise of the ad seemed to be that men have surrendered too much of their personal autonomy and are suffering silently like so many martyrs within the onerous confines of their marriages. The wild man that lives within the breast of all males is chafing under the well-intentioned but irritating attempts of women to domesticate him and suffocate his spirit with petty indignities like cleaning up after himself and putting the toilet seat down. It's time to push back...and buy a Charger!!!

Now Dodge didn't pony up a fortune in ad time without doing their research first. You can be sure that their pitch was carefully crafted and designed to hold maximum appeal for their target market- married men. You can be sure that their research and polling data showed that their message held strong appeal to their key demographic. I will confess that I resonated with it, but that part of me which was picking up what they were laying down was sinful. Yes, sinful.

Ephesians 5:25 says "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..." If we are at heart bachelors then shame on us because we are in fact husbands. How did Christ love the church? He gave Himself up for her. How should we love our wives? By giving up this bachelor-at-heart business and making ourselves a blessing to our wives.

Do I do this perfectly? No- Sarah will tell you that, but I submit to the truth of it, set it as my goal, and allow you to remind me and hold me accountable.

No Charger for me- I'll stick with my Astro Van.