God has been teaching me a lot lately about what a real man looks like. More than that God has been teaching me what a real leader looks like. I have been attending Men's Fraternity sessions that our church has been providing and I can honestly say it has made a huge impact on my life as a young man. I am kind of an odd ball in the group as I am the only person under the age of 25 at this particular session. At the same time, I am so blessed to sit in a group of older men and hear their struggles and what God is teaching them about their lives right now. I am so thankful for this opportunity to learn from these men and their past failures and successes! I am also thankful that they are willing to share about themselves and the things God is teaching them right now that they wish they had known when they were my age. Wisdom comes from this group like a rushing waterfall. I am totally thankful for this experience.
I want to share four things that every man needs to learn. Please understand that this is my personal take on these four points. These four points come straight from the life of Jesus who was the ultimate man and ultimate leader! In the session we compare Adam from Genesis to the second Adam, Jesus. This comparison leads us to these conclusions of what Biblical manhood is all about.
1. Reject Passivity. Adam was passive when he stood beside Eve as she ate the apple and thus was cast out of the garden and caused sin to enter into the world. Jesus rejected passivity and stood firm on the reward that God had for Him. When he was tempted in the desert, Jesus never gave in because He knew what God's plan was--to save the world through him! Jesus knew that his actions would save the world as long as he didn't disconnect from God and from his duties here on the earth. Jesus was never passive. He never let anything slip. He was always active in changing lives for God!
2. Accept Responsibility. Adam blamed Eve for the action that was committed in the garden. Jesus shows us that responsibility must be ours. If we are not responsible for anything then nothing would ever get done. We are responsible for the way we treat our wives. We will be held accountable before God for the way we served Him. God has given us each gifts and we will be held responsible for how we use those gifts for Him. More than any of this, if Jesus is the center of our lives then we are responsible for showing Him to the world through the way we live!
3. Lead Courageously. Adam was afraid of God. He hid from him in the garden after the apple had been eaten. Jesus lead without abandon. He knew God's purpose and plan and he went all out in making sure that that plan was accomplished. How much more effective would we be if we just lead courageously trusting God to direct us, stepping out in faith, knowing that He is in control? I know one thing, God is looking for people who will be obedient to His calling!
4. Remember the Reward. The reward is heaven and filling it up with others! Teaching others about Jesus is the most important thing we can ever do in our lives. Living out Jesus to others follows suit. Jesus promised that all who believe in Him will have eternal life! The reward is in heaven, not here on earth. Remember that being a true man/leader is to model your life after Jesus and remember that the reward comes from rejecting passivity, accepting responsibility, and leading courageously is Heaven and it being filled with people that we together have brought to Jesus!!!
Be a real man. Too many men let life pass them by while they stand on the sidelines. Too many men don't accept responsibility for the way their children yearn for a real father but wouldn't work on a marriage to be that father. Too many men are full of fear and don't rely on God to make them courageous in their actions. Too many men have forgotten or don't know the reward that comes from being a real man...let the real men stand up and be counted. And let them go and lead other men to Jesus the true man and leader!
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