So my wife and I went to see the movie, Think Like A Man, and I must confess I went into the movie with a bias against the movie and the whole concept of “act like a lady, think like a man”.
My quick commentary of the movie is that it was too vulgar, but funny. If you can stand all of the cursing and sexual content, the movie is funny. This movie will not help you have a better relationship. Ladies it will not help you get that man, in fact it will help you get that boy, masquerading as a man.
A problem I have with the movie, and the whole concept, is that too much of the weight and responsibility is placed upon women. The message to women was that you need to jump through hoops to get that male. You need to bend and change to adapt to what type of male you have. Women need to manipulate males to get them to become who they think they need them to be.
The movie should have been called “How To Get That boy, that you want to be a man, to act like a better boy.”
Another issue I have is that everything was all good in the end, and that is not true to life. There have been a many relationships destroyed by either the man or woman, or both playing games. No one lost in the end, every one won, that is not true life.
My wife and I had a discussion about the movie. My wife is a great balance to me. She would say people are really like that and that is what it was showing. I am the type that I don’t care if that is how people really are, what we should be trying to show is how people should be. What was missing for me was that model character, that while still having flaws, set a quality standard and example for the others. Gary Owens was the closest example of that type of character, but even he was wishy-washy.
This movie perfectly shows why married people and single people do not mix well. It also showed the problem of males in relationships hanging with other males and seeking advice from each other, especially when they are not rooted and grounded in Christ. It is a different story when there are a group of MEN rooted and grounded in Christ- providing one another with Biblically sound advice and encouragement. My greatest growth and development as a husband and a man, occurred during an intense time of continual fellowship and mentorship from a group of mature men in the faith through my church.
The movie did good, by exposing how many professing “Christians” are not only hypocrites, but also luke warm and living in sin. Not sinning- living in sin, in which sin is their way of life. Many professing “Christians” relate to this movie because it is their way of life, or their friends way of life, and they see it as normal and how things should and do go.
Creators must understand the power they posses, to shape people’s thinking, ideas, perceptions, etc. I know Steve Harvey wrote this book before he was “saved”, but he must live by a new standard and advise people based on that new standard and that new standard is found in the Bible. Our instructions are to be who God called us to be, and that is not to “Act like a lady, but think like a man.”
If the people of God, both men and women, would stop looking everywhere but the Bible for instructions on how to live, we would find this walk much more peaceful, joyful, etc. I am not going to tell you what you should do as a man or woman, but I will say read the instructions. The Bible is the owners manual for you and the opposite sex. So if you want to know how to deal with them, read the owners manual.
The only way someone can play a game with you is if you play along. The other good thing that the movie advised, was to get a standard. What it got wrong, is for you to set your own personal standard. No need for that. Again, the Bible has already set a standard, use that as your standard. So while others are playing games, you are standing on the unchanging standards, backed by the creator.
As for us, we are blessed to already be married and not be playing those types of games. There are games that people do play in marriage, but by the grace of God we steer clear of those as well, and stick to the instructions found in the owner’s manual.
Let us know what you thought of the movie.