What do you think of when you think of a man?  Does John Wayne come to mind, staring frosty eyed at a villain?  Perhaps Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone playing Rambo typifies a man for you.  But while these popular movie characters may portray Hollywood’s notion of men, they are a far cry from the men we find in Scripture.  Unfortunately, men of all ages are influenced by the stereotypical man found in popular culture.  The mold is defined as a rugged, steely eyed specimen who has no capacity for tears, no tolerance for authority, and no morals regarding women.  Yet while we instinctively realize that something is terribly amiss with all this, generations of absent fathers and poor role models have left a visible void in our homes, churches and communities.  True men are scarce these days.  Our churches need men, our wives and children are crying out for REAL men, our nation is led by spineless pretenders, and the need for men keeps getting bigger.

Part of the problem lies in men being defined not by who they are, but rather by what they are not!  For instance, men do not cry, men are not wimps, men are not emotional, and similar statements that many people have heard in reference to men.  Even the dictionary definition given above is not very helpful! But what truly defines a man?  How are boys to know when they have reached manhood?  What guidelines are there?  How is a lady to distinguish between a true man and a pretender?  In this study we will examine some aspects of Biblical manhood as revealed in Scriptural role models.

Jesus Christ is of course the Ultimate Man, and from Him we will gain the majority of our ideas. But there are others in Scripture that teach us, men like Moses, Joseph, Joshua, Caleb, John the Baptist, Paul and others.  The traits given here will not be exhaustive, but rather a general template for use in your personal life.  As we begin, it does us well to remember 1 Corinthians 11:7  For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. This idea of men being made for God’s glory will be central to our study.

One of the most common misconceptions about men is that “they do their own thing.”  But Scripture affirms that real men are in constant subjection and obedience to the will of God.  John 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. Jesus was viewed as one who was counter-culture, a man against the tide, but that opposition to culture stemmed not from his own will but rather from God’s.    In the midst of tumultuous public applause, Pharisaical anger, and Roman injustice, Christ stayed in subjection to His Father’s will.  The defining mark of a true man is purposeful obedience to the will of God. But purposeful obedience has prerequisites.  First, a man must have a personal relationship with God.  It is impossible to follow Him without being a Christian. Second, a man must be able to discern the will of God as revealed in Scripture and prayer.  This will require much time with God, and the ability to listen. Third, a man must pursue the goals God reveals to him.

Purposeful obedience to God will also result in a stable and secure life. The Apostle Paul commanded the Ephesians to be stable in doctrine (Ephesians 4:14), and equated instability with childishness!  This stability does not result in a monotonous life. Instead it  is exhilarating living on the edge through faith!  Knowing that the big picture is submitted to God’s will and therefore CANNOT fail gives a man great freedom to concentrate his energies on details.  The concentration of energies on details makes a man excellent in his pursuits, and that excellence brings glory to God, thus fulfilling man’s purpose! The difference between a life lived for self and a life lived for Christ is astronomical.  The selfish life is like a light bulb, bright but weak.  The submitted life is similar to a laser, whose submitted and conformed light waves are capable of communicating vast distances or cutting steel.

Another element of Biblical manhood is that of sacrifice for others.  Common phrases like “top dog” and “the big man” echo the world’s selfish model, but Jesus’ ministry was always about others.  The long hours spent teaching, the many times he healed others, the countless diversions from his true task to a secondary one; these show the true nature of a selfless servant leader.  Consider for instance Luke 4:40-42  Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. It is reasonable to infer from the arrangement of these verses that Jesus spent the entire night healing people, and then began to journey.  Consider also the hours spent in prayer in Gethsemane, the night spent on a mountain praying! Biblical men sacrifice themselves for others.  This is easy for us to understand when it involves sports or physical assistance to our families, but what about the unseen aspects like prayer and time invested in our families?  How crucial it is for men to emulate this aspect of the Master!  How different our lives, our families, our churches would be if men would selflessly serve others for Christ’s sake!

One popular notion of men that is backed up by Scripture is that of physical endurance. Not physical prowess, but endurance.  Consider the warrior poet David, and the lengthy battles he fought. Consider Elijah and the long journeys he made.  Consider Jeremiah languishing in prison and Paul enduring repeated beatings.  These are a few examples of the many.  Consider also the fast and temptation of Jesus Christ, as recorded in Matthew 4:1-2  Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. Notice He went to be spiritually tried, but also that it was a lengthy trial of his physical body.  Men can endure much, and I believe one of the reasons for that is so we can still have time for God AND our other duties.

The passage in Matthew 4 brings up the aspect of solitude.  While Scripture clearly repudiates the idea of a hermit, many men of God were men who spent much time alone.  Jesus was 40 days alone!  Most men cannot endure much more than a week or so.  John the Baptist was in the deserts from his childhood until he revealed himself to Israel, possibly 10-15 years. (Luke 1:80) Our era of Facebook and Myspace urges constant communication with others, but makes it more difficult for men to stay centered on their primary relationship.  Let me encourage you to spend time each day in silence.  Not in the thoughtless emptiness of eastern religions, or the mystical contemplations of others, but in simple quietness before Almighty God. Isaiah 30:15  For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

Courage is an essential part of Biblical manhood.  Let us once and for all repudiate the idea that Christian men are wimps!  Certainly men like Joshua, Caleb, Peter, and Sampson could not be considered cowards or sissies!  But what about men like Paul, who was mentioned in 2 Corinthians 10:10 as being weak in body and contemptible is speech?   What about Daniel, who passively resisted the unlawful diet of the Babylonians?  Were these men less courageous?  No, for the list of afflictions and trials mentioned by Paul in 1Corinthians 11 and the lions in the den with Daniel effectively quiet that notion.  So we see that facing physical and mental trials with courage is part of Biblical manhood.

Another facet that is often highlighted today is that of tenderness.  Sadly we live in a generation of boy-men, and the natural emotional content has been replaced by abhorrent effeminate nature.  Yet the true man is neither effeminate nor hardened, but of a tender nature.  Moses was described as the meekest man on earth(Numbers 12:3), but nobody who led a million complaining Israelites could be described as weak!  Again, we also see this in the life of Christ.  This Man endured fasting and solitude, chased the moneychangers with a whip, and died a tortuous death with dignity.  Yet Christ was gentle enough to weep, touch the feeble, and hold little children (Mark 10:13-16)!  True tenderness results from close communion with God.

Manhood is a complex subject, and these small notes scarcely touch the subject.  Yet for all its subtleties and nuances, manhood is essentially a matter of emulating the Ultimate Man, the Lord Jesus Christ.  His gentleness hints at unshakable strength.  His purposeful movement through life lends stability to our own lives.  His courage, compassion, and character blaze like a sun from the pages of the Gospels, and compel us to admit our shortcomings and His glory.  A thorough study and imitation of His life is essential for every man, for in His life we will find our own.

Charles P. Hollingsworth, February 2009

Snow reminds me of God’s mercy because it covers all that is beneath it.  Where dirt was visible only a while ago, now glistening whiteness covers the land.  And not only the natural soil is covered, but the grime of man’s activities are also covered!  It even cleans the air through which it falls!   This of course reminds me of Christ’s sacrifice, and how it covers my sins. Isaiah 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. A single snowfall contains billions of snowflakes, yet each is distinct from each other.  God’s mercies are also numerous, and we tend to forget the wonder of each single mercy when surrounded by so many. Be thankful for the many small mercies we receive each day!

Snow also reminds me of God’s grace (provision or supply).  Here in Alberta, we need the snow.  Snow contains much of the moisture needed for growth in the spring.  Little snow usually means poor growth. In addition, snow insulates the land from the freezing temperature. This allows the small animals that burrow to survive, as well as many plants whose roots would otherwise freeze.  God’s abundant grace allows us to grow, and we often find that the “trials” we go through are sources of great growth later. By the way, snow generally only accumulates on things that are standing still.  Psalms 46:10  Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Have you been still and quiet before God today?

As we enter each new day, remember that God has given you the grace you need to flourish.  He knows what you need and allows certain trials to come that you may grow.  Enjoy the trials!  There is a beauty in everything God does. And the next time you see the snow and are tempted to grumble, thank God instead for His mercies, and ask Him to keep piling them on!

Pastor Charles Hollingsworth