The power of life and death

I'm currently reading an excellent book by Gary Smalley and John Trent, Ph.D. It's called "The Hidden Value of a Man."

The book talks about the two swords of value in every man. There's the silver sword, which relates to a man's positional power. This includes a man's job title, academic degrees, place in the corporate hierarchy, etc. Most men focus on the silver sword and neglect the gold sword, which is the ability to develop meaningful, fulfilling relationships and strengthen our families.

There is an interesting passage on p. 28 of the book under the header "The Power of Life and Death Lies Within a Man's Reach":

Writer Gordon Dalbey describes a deeply moving church meeting where the congregation had just watched the powerful anti-abortion film 'The Silent Scream.' Stung in heart and stirred to prayer, men and women began interceding for the pregnant young women faced with the appalling choice of bringing an unwanted baby to term or destroying it in the womb.

Others prayed for the parents of the young women, for the doctors and nurses in the abortion clinics, for the unborn babies themselves, and for the conscience of the nation.

Yet Dalbey felt a strange uneasiness. Something seemed missing somehow. Overlooked. 'Lord, is there something else?' he asked.

'Almost at once the words burst forth in my mind: Pray for the men! No one is recognizing that without a man to impregnate the woman, the abortion issue would not exist.'

Smalley and Trent go on to explain that the ultimate "choice" in the issue belongs to the man. As men, we have a tremendous amount of power; we need to be aware of how we wield our swords. It is possible to have an effective balance between the silver and gold swords.