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I think one of the amazing things about my brother Matt is that he is a man. That sounded funny. What I mean is, the things he's passionate about - justice and worship and love and children - seem to be, in my experience, things for which male advocacy is tragically lacking. I'm mainly thinking about student groups here on campus that focus on justice and advocacy and AIDS awareness and worship...and the vast majority of those involved and in leadership are women. I always look around at those groups and wonder, quite frankly, where all the good men have gone.

This makes what my brother does amazing, on a whole new level. It also makes him speak to and interact with the women in my building differently. I sat back the other day and listened to him talk to a girl I have been slowly building a relationship with since August. And in the space of about twenty minutes, my brother was talking with this girl in such a way that...I haven't been able to reach in all the months I've been spending time with her. And as I've thought about it, I think I kind of know why.

My brother, in his work in advocacy and investigations, has seen...horrible, horrible things. Tragic things. Heartbreaking things. Things that make him weep and cry out to the Lord, pleading with Him either to intervene or to give understanding why these things are allowed to happen. But because of the great darkness he has seen, my brother has also seen great innocence. And he speaks (as I kind of think he always has) to my hurting, broken women. He speaks with them in their innocence, not in their failure or in the ways they've been taken advantage of. He sees and addresses their innocence, and because of that, a very interesting and beautiful thing comes about.

They are innocent.

I'm not saying that some metaphysical change takes place...but maybe. I think, for as much as we relentlessly pursue what is reality, we forget our own power in transforming the way people view themselves. Matt looks at these girls that are so precious to me, and about whom I know so many intricate parts of their hearts. He looks them and sees it all...and chooses then to see them innocent. Pure. The beauty of their souls is, I'm convinced, all he sees. And because he sees it, he speaks to it. And because he speaks to it, they become it. They peaceful look on their face, the way they light up when they being to speak of their dreams, and the way they freely laugh with him is...

This is amazing to me. And I want to learn to do this.