24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Matthew 16:24-27 ESV

My friend,
the message to men
has been
a man holds his ground
and never gives in.
But if you want
release from strife,
a relationship with
the author of life,
and the living water’s
sender…
brother,
you’ve got to
stand up,
stand tall
and surrender.

To stand up and surrender
is to know you’re not the center.
You don’t have to pretend you’re tough,
playing the paper tiger.
It takes a stronger man
to hand the reins to God
to risk ridicule and rejection
when the world finds you odd.
But the world can’t own you
if you’re already sold out
and no one has a better corner man
when you’re fighting life’s bouts.

© Joel Tipple
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