Act Like Men

Act like men.
Be brave.
Be courageous.
-1 Corinthians 16:13b (ESV/NASB, CEB/NKJV, NIV/NLT)

Being a man has been misunderstood in our time.  It is almost a lost art.  We got a revelation of the Fatherhood of God, but what we missed was that God wants to take boys and make them into men.  God also wants to take adult boys and make them into men.

There is a time to be held at God's bosom, singing, "Father, I want you to hold me...".  After all, Jesus told us that we have to become like children to see the kingdom of God.  But, there is a difference between child-like and childish.  Men must give up childish things and act like men.

Bravery and courage are two of the attributes of godly manhood.  Women are by nature, nurturers, and men, not as much and not meant to be.

When we sang, "Father, I want you to hold me", we were asking God to nurture us.  God is not a man, nor a woman, but he is Father.  Man and woman were made in God's image.  The manly aspects and womanly aspects both come from God, who is Father.  In that song, we are really asking God to mother us with healing nurture.  We need it.  It is authentic.  But, God training you to be a man is something more and something different.  It is about bravery and courage.

Consider David, in the Old Testament.  He is a man's man.  He was the man after God's own heart.  His life was all about intimacy with God.  He wrote songs just like the one I've been quoting.  But David was also a warrior and he knew God also as warrior king.  

Consider Paul.  Paul wrote the love chapter, he wrote about the fruit of the Spirit, and he also wrote, :act like men", and "I put away childish things".  Who was the love of Paul's life?  Jesus Christ.  What was Paul's constant companion?  Suffering.

When you are called to be a man, you must be courageous and brave.  Why?  Because that is what you need to face suffering.  Actually, every famous man in the Bible has one thing in common.  They suffered.  

Men endure suffering.  Men lead their families through suffering.  Men stand in suffering. 
God makes a man out of you through suffering.  It has always been the way of Christ.

Machismo and misogyny are perversions of manhood.  It is not a choice between that and being effeminate.  The godly man is strong and gentle.  He might bump you, because he is not a soft woman; but he is gracious and has got real love.  Manly love is sacrificial.  It is taking a bullet for those you love.  It's risking your life to save others.  It's the "no one left behind motto".