unleashing the heart of men
When Wild at Heart was first released, it inspired an entire generation of men to unabashedly step into the necessary and adventurous calling upon their lives; wives, too, were challenged to see their husbands in whole new light. But that was 23-years-ago; inspiration has faded and a new generation of men are lost. The conversation that Eldridge was courageously summoning us to is one that should be returned to often in addition to ensuring that the conversation gets passed on to our children.
Throughout the book, Wild at Heart grants the permission that men do not need but do need to hear: God made you; go be that! In the beginning, God created men and women; the idea, then, is that men should act like men of God. Eldridge addresses the wild, adventurous, dangerous longings inside every boy who longs to be the man, sword in hand with a fierce battle cry, leading others into battle. War paint and all! The hearts of men yearn for mountains to climb, dragons to slay, and a belle to rescue. He argues, however, that, despite its obvious presence in boyhood, with time these yearnings and this God-given design is dimmed or snuffed out completely by societal lies, rejection and doubt, and poor teaching. But, hope is not lost; the wounds of a man’s heart can heal. It needs to be said that the world today, the church today, needs men to step into the fierce identity that God created within them. And, it’s not simply about a call for men to do better; instead, we need a battle cry so that wild heart of men can step into the role for which they were created: to be men of God.
Imagine a church filled with passionate, dangerous, good men courageously speaking, standing, and acting to usher in the Kingdom of God. Imagine a church ringing with the battle cries of Christian men embracing the image of God buried deep within them. Imagine a generation of Christian men healing their spiritual wounds and mentoring the next generation. This is the world to which Eldridge calls us. And, the message reads just as relevant and needed today as it did when it was first released.
Eldredge, John. Wild at Heart; discovering the secret of a man’s soul. Nashville, TN; Thomas Nelson Inc, 2001.