Christlike Manhood

God is good. His grace is amazing. Jesus is Lord. And Sunday is Father's Day. My heart goes to men saved by grace through faith in Christ who seek to imitate Christ.

I am well aware that the trend is to comfort the ladies on Mother's Day and hammer the men on Father's day. I wanted to refrain from that line of reasoning this year but God's Word got a hold of my heart coupled with the manhood wasteland so evident today. All I can say men is man up. Stand up and take it like a man. We were made for challenge, hardship, courage and battle. And we were called to follow the crucified, risen and coming One.

There is role confusion on the part of many men, due in part to concepts of manhood that have gained prominence in recent years. It is like there are three portraits set up before us; one from the world (foolishness), one from fellow believers (well-meaning but often misguided), and one from God in His Word (100% accurate). By His Spirit and through His Word God enables us to cut through the brush, so to speak, to get a clear vision of what Christlike manhood is, and how to foster it in daily life.

The world says..."be weak, you are weak, you're a fool, be womanly if you want, make up your own rules of what it means to be a man. You can be metro sexual, passive, angry, confused, or a bumbling fool. Whatever you want." There is just as much confusion amongst believers regarding what manhood should look like. With fellow believers it is a toss up as to what you will get. Traditionalists have a certain kind of man in view...strong, stoic, non-emotional, a man's man ala John Wayne, or Russell Crowe's Gladiator. Non-traditionalists have come up with their own versions of manhood, from the promise keeper, to the rugged individualist to the courageous, humble, quiet man; all well-meaning but often lacking the substance of the Crucified. Many will say "keep your promises, do your duty, don't be weak. Be rugged, be strong, be a warrior, you were made for adventure". While at the same time coddling the cult of extended adolescence and saying "don't be too hard on yourself".

There has been a recent resurgence of Biblically based manhood coming from the church at large. It is a good thing. The world says look to yourself, the church says man up, God says look to Jesus, the Author and Perfector of faith. Look to Jesus, the real Man.