The truths of being a man

There are many stereotypes associated with manhood. Depending on the culture that you live in, the definition might be different. In North Idaho, you might think of an outdoorsman in a flannel shirt and a trucker’s hat. If you were to ask the question “what does it means to be a man?” you would probably get many different answers. Some men are certain that they know exactly what a man is and other men do not have a clue. Maybe you are at the extreme ends of the spectrum, or maybe you’re somewhere in the middle. But what does God say about being a man? 

If we could pull on one father and son relationship that will give us a guideline of what a man is supposed to look like, the best example we have is Father God and His Son, Jesus. In the third chapter of Matthew, God speaks from heaven and says, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus continually referred to His relationship with His Father as the inspiration for everything that He did. It is that positive affirming relationship that made Jesus the man that He was. 

So manhood is a positive affirmation that is passed down from generation to generation, from a father to a son. It takes an involved and personal relationship to see all the positive strengths and qualities in the boy and develop those strengths and qualities into a man. Not to create a clone of the father, but to help the boy become the man that God created him to be. 

In today’s society, we are seeing more and more homes that exist without the father’s role being filled. Who then is going to affirm the next generation of men? As amazing as moms are, it is not their responsibility. Only a man understands the struggles that are faced when traveling the road from childhood to manhood. Therefore, it takes a man to call out the man in his son and to raise him up to be all that he can be and grow to his full potential. The absence of fathers in the home is the reason so many men are baffled at what it means to be a man. 

So if the father/son relationship between God and Jesus is the standard that we should imitate, it behooves us to ask, what kind of man did Jesus become? What attributes does He have that we can emulate as men? 

First, He was a hard worker. As an apprentice in His father’s carpentry shop, the only tools that He had that we still use today would be muscle and sweat. All the material would have been hewn out of wood with a steel blade and mallet. 

Second, He was a man of compassion. With no thought of his own well-being, He actively and purposefully interacted with the lame, the blind, and those with leprosy. He placed their well-being before His. 

Third, He was fair. He didn’t show favoritism to the elect of society. Instead, he spent his time with the outcast, the sinner, and the tax collector. In fact, the ones that He chose as his closest friends were fishermen, a political anarchist, and a tax collector.  

And fourth, but most importantly, He has amazing Love. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” Jesus willingly went to the cross and died a horrific death because of His love for us. In His death, He bore the punishment for our sin, in his burial He conquered and redeemed our past, and in His resurrection He gave us new life with Him. 

Now that is what I would call the ultimate example of manhood! 

Paul Edwards is the men’s ministry pastor at Harvest Valley Worship Center. You can find service times and watch sermons at hvwc.com.