As I was praying with some people recently God placed in my mind a text that I believe deeply challenges Christian men to be free from the restraints of the Australian culture they have (mostly) grown up in:  “a soft tongue can break bones” (Proverbs 25:15).

Soft does not mean weak, any more than hard means strong.  A soft tongue must flow from a soft heart, for, as Jesus said, “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt 12:34).  A soft tongue will be an expression of Jesus’ own compassion and mercy.  It will be like the speech of Jesus from the cross, the tenderness revealed in words like, “Father forgive them they do not know what they are doing” and “Woman, here is your son.”  These gentle words had such abiding power that they penetrated the heart of a hardened Roman centurion causing him to spontaneously utter, “Surely this man was God’s son!”

Mainstream traditional Australian male culture is hard rather than soft.  This is typified by emotional control, and often a fear of effeminacy.  (Gay bashing indicates this, especially in working class culture.)

God is calling forth a new form of authority – in prayer, in preaching, in persuasive speech of all sorts.  It is a form of gentle speech that corresponds to the heart of the Father.  It is relationally powerful.

This tender hearted speech will issue in an era without male abuse- spiritually, sexually, domestically.  It will create and reflect a church that has moved beyond the realm of criticism into profound sensitivity (Eph 4:32; 1 Pet 3:8- 9).

This, counter –cultural, form of masculinity will prove to be immensely attractive, especially to those many men who have denied the truth of the inner sensitivity that God has given them.  It is therefore something for us men to desire with all our hearts.