God Gives Examples of Manliness
My mind understands manhood backwards. I’ve grown older thinking much of what I saw around me as “manly” was the definition of “being a man.” It isn’t necessarily.
Against what do you measure manliness?
royalty free license purchased via Fotolia
Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, defines the characteristics and behaviors of men and His definition is unchanged in the face of my predecessors’ or my contemporaries’ thoughts, feelings on the matter or choices.
God gives examples of courage and steadfastness in Daniel as he went into the lions den or when Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) & Azariah (Abednego) were thrown into the fiery furnace in Babylon.
He shows us humility in a man through David’s repentance and responsibility in Nathan confronting David in his sin.
He teaches us that a man waits on God in humility but he doesn’t allow other men to speak lies or stupidity into his life without testing what is delivered to him to see that it is from God and that it’s meant for his life.
He teaches us that a man depends on God at all times through several of David’s psalms.
He defines manhood as dependence on Him & faithfulness to Him through Joshua & Caleb‘s stories versus the other 10 spies and Gideon’s army selection.
God repeatedly teaches us that a man’s life is not about the man or his pain but it should be about the man focusing his attention upon & finding his significance, purpose & joy in God.
All these characteristics work out to support the following truths:
God clearly outlines His expectations for all people, regardless of gender:
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Michah 6:8
And when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was He answered
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the great and first commandment.
And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:36-40