the one about Pick-Up Lines

"Hey," ...chin nod... "Nice Bible."

"Are you hot? Or is that the Holy Spirit burning inside of you?"

"My Bible seems to be missing Numbers. Can I have yours?"

I'm on the way out of my yearly, autumnal world-weariness. (It would be easier to pull myself together and slip into the Christmas spirit were it not for the juxtaposition of gingerbread lattes and Los Angeles' 77-degree weather slowing the process juuust a bit.)

Whatever my mood, I can almost always be cheered by bad jokes, especially bad pick-up lines. And especially bad Christian pick-up lines.

Now, the vast majority of women I've asked reply that pick-up lines are dumb and "never work." But maybe that's why I like them. Because pick-up lines are underdogs for success.

And nothing goes together as romantically as underdogs and love.

I've been taking a comedy acting class based on the 8 Characters of Comedy. The first and foremost archetype in any comedy --and the one I relate to most-- is the Lovable Loser. These are the Lucille Balls, the Cliff Huxtables, the Ray Barones, the Chandler Bings, the Tim Taylors, the John Dorians, the Liz Lemons and the Nick Millers. These characters know their ideas have a slim chance of working, but they also know they have to try.

And that's why we root for them. They're underdogs.

I can't speak for the rest of the world, but it is clear that Satan has made it a priority to attack the United States' men. Using whatever cruel, underhanded, merciless means possible. And weaken them... 

to mere shells of the men they were destined to be.

This has forced strong women to emerge and carry burdens not meant for them to bear.

Our society has become used to this. And although we (rightfully) laud women with heroic courage and fortitude in the face of men-gone-AWOL, we are now raising generations that think

this is how it's supposed to be.

Soon, we won't have anyone living that can remember a time when men were ever different.

Now, I LOVE my bros. I believe in them, I admire them, I would do anything to see them walk in God-defined success.

I also know their pasts. And I know mine. And I know that the extreme majority of us are underdogs.

And when it comes to love, and when it comes to marriage, my Christian brothers and I might as well be a Jamaican bobsled team with illusions of winning Olympic gold. Left to ourselves,

we don't deserve the women we desire.

Not even close.

Of course, the good news is: we don't have to be left to ourselves. In fact, 

God loves underdogs. 

He loves "against all odds" stories, because they are where He gets glory.

But this led me to think: as we men put on Christ, as we un-learn the abdication of responsibility taught to us for decades, as we grow into restoration and wholeness from our pasts, women will need exceptional strength to relinquish the offices they've long held, to support men in our quest for integrity, and to forgive us when we screw up.

Outside of Christ, there's no way this can happen. A society of less-than-honorable men reversing their ways while, simultaneously, a society of women who've long been faithfully working outside their job description decide men are again trustworthy? Not possible.

But with God ...all things are possible.

To my brothers, be reminded: your past does not define you. Look onward --to Jesus. Fight on. Don't turn back. (Phil 3:12-14)

To my ladies: the next time a guys says "You just broke a commandment by stealing my heart," you may roll your eyes, but don't just dismiss him. Sure, you might say no to him. You might say yes. But that not-so-slick guy is learning every day what it means to be more than a conqueror, growing into Christlikeness. He needs you to be aware of the work God is doing. 

He also needs those digits. Nah mean? ;)

A mere mortal

From the City of Angels

Livin his dream