This is my friend, the “Jujitsu Weasel.” He has a real name as well. The Weasel is retired from an elite military team, a social worker, LEO and a godly man. In this picture—taken after a grueling jujitsu sparring session—he is posing with two boxes of Alan’s Artisan Soaps (more on that in a second, it’s part of the story). I love this picture of my friend, let me explain why . . .
The Weasel could use his hands to kill 99% of us without working too hard at it. Instead, he has decided to serve us, to put his life between us and the monsters of society. He is also the guy who uses his counseling skills to try to talk people out of becoming monsters. The Weasel embodies a quality I most admire about men: being part lamb and part lion. That’s one reason I love this picture, because it shows the dichotomy of true manhood. It’s two aspects of the Lord: the Lion and The Lamb. But, there’s more . . .
Below is my new friend, Alan with this grandmother (I will talk about the watermelons in a moment, they are important). He works at his own soap company, Alan’s Artisan Soaps. It’s his soap the Weasel is holding. Alan is joyful and hard working. He goes to school, does his homework and then goes to work at Alan’s Artisan Soap Company; when he has a break he’s on Minecraft. His dad started the company to make great soaps and for Alan and his brother, Ian, to have a place they can work and something they can own. What I love about that is, Alan’s dad, John, can crush any number of businesses; he’s a well respected marketer who has built some huge brands and his own, successful marketing company. But, now, John gets to make soap with Alan. The corporate lion, the soap-making lamb. I love that.
Yeah, the watermelons: Alan helps create the scents of Alan’s Soaps. It happens that Watermelon - Basil is his favorite because it reminds Alan of his grandmother making him lunch. If you buy some, use my name, Todd, and, this month, for every bar you buy, Alan will donate $1.00 to the Special Olympics. Speaking of Fathers and Sons . . .
This is an artist’s rendering of the Lord, Jesus on the cross. I love everything about it. What I love in relation to this piece is that the Lord could have ended the entire affair with a flick of a finger. Jesus could have called down 10,000 angels to utterly way waste to his tormenters. Our Father in Heaven could have launched fire and brimstone at them. Instead, the Lamb of God carried all the world’s sin into death and then he was reborn and is seated at the right hand of the Father. For people who follow the Lamb of God, who accept him as their savior, death “has lost its sting.” If we will let Jesus and the Holy Spirit change us, we can all me more like the lamb. But, the Lion is still there. Here’s what I mean . . .
The Weasel is a Jesus-needer who stands ready to fight a Just War. Jesus Christ will come again, as a judge, more Lion that time. He will utterly destroy the enemy. The Weasel isn’t Jesus—he knows that quite well—and none of us are. But, like 99% of our LEOs and our military warriors, they stand ready to defend my friend, Alan, and his pursuit of happiness and liberty, which Alan chases with the soap the Weasel is holding. Likewise, and on the largest possible scale, the same God who will lay waste to Satan and his murderous lies is ready to welcome you to become His child. I love that.
I am deeply honored
My heart fills with joy just thinking about Todd, a righteous, Godly man, raising up an army of righteous, Godly men.
This is a time for prayer and spiritual warfare. It's also a time to make sure your weapons are clean, your knives sharpened, and you have plenty of ammunition.
There's so much to say here - Todd's new podcast has become a "must listen" first thing every morning, in a way his radio shows (which were terrific) were not.
Jesus Christ is the key to our lives and our victory, and men play such a big part in that, it's breathtaking.