This weekend I set up a small table in the Cabelas Store in Buda, Texas. We are good friends with the management at this particular store and try to always be in the store with KOZ at any of their promotional events. It’s a good place to introduce the program of KOZ to the public and sometimes we get kids into the local KOZ group meetings.
There was one mom this Saturday I thought was in a strange place. When she and her son walked by he was drawn to the deer and bobcat skins I put out for “touch and tell”. It get’s almost every kid every time. This particular time the mom almost shielded him from the table, but being a boy, he locked on and began a turn. His mom blocked his turn and continued to shuttle him away. I said out loud, “we are a boys hunting and fishing ministry.” She replied, “we don’t allow him to play with guns.”
At first I was mad. Mostly because I was embarrassed. I never like anyone to take exception of me or KOZ. What kind of stupid mom would not let her boy understand the things we are teaching them. Every boy needs to know what we are teaching, she is really making a big mistake. Wow. Then I began to let Satan put thoughts in my head like, “what am I doing wrong, I should probly not have hunting pictures and guns as part of what we do at KOZ.” These thoughts were all in about a 10 second time frame.
A lot of the questioning and self protection thoughts are agreements from my youth. I had agreed along the way that I don’t know much of anything, that I am not worthy of leading, that I don’t know what a boy needs because, after all, I was a broken child. Cocky, aggressive, fear are all real feelings I had inking I needed to protect myself. Lies.
I am a son of God. He has carried me to this place. He loves me, He is fully engaged in KOZ. Our works for Him, the stories you guys tell me about are incredible moments when the Holy Spirit comes at KOZ meetings. Boys are redeemed, men experience freedom, families are changed for eternity. That is the truth. KOZ is good and we are on a mission from God.
That mom and little boy, I have been confronted with that before. I think she is sheltering him from something he is, every boy is. A warrior, a hunter, a rescuer, a boy on a mission. John Eldredge says, “what man ever grew up thinking he wanted to be, a good boy”? They grow up wanting to hunt ferocious animals, fly fighter jets, discover mountain tops and live in adventure and challenge. We KOZ guys know that and the boys we get will be trained to use that natural drive for a might good.
Men, you quest is important and the work ahead can be a challenge. Do not succumb to the lies of the evil one. The agreements we made in the past are broken off when we deny them and claim His works in us over them. Stand strong, you are warriors for the King. The trail can be long and hard, but you can do it. I know you can. You guys are incredible.
