RoMANtic: Reclaiming ManhoodSample

SECURITY THROUGH MATURITY

An immature man is a pain to society. Those who trust him are familiar with hurt and disappointment. Until we learn to be responsible and trustworthy, we are not even useful in God's hands. 

When Joseph, Jesus' earthly father, learned that his fiancee was pregnant, he was shocked. He probably suspected that Mary had been promiscuous during the period when she should have been keeping herself sexually pure for him. Joseph must have been deeply hurt, as any man would have been. Although he felt the marriage could not continue, Joseph determined in his mind that he would still protect Mary and the child. Rather than publicly disgracing her, as the religious leaders intended with the woman who was caught committing adultery (John 8:4-5), Joseph decided that he would break the engagement, "quietly" (Matthew‬ ‭1:19). Sometimes some situations will occur, and our initial reaction is to react to feed our disappointment and anger but like Joseph we will have to handle things quietly. Don't be afraid of looking weak, but know that The Lord honors men who protect others more than they protect their ego.

By his decision, Joseph put aside his ego and pride, and prioritized the safety of a woman he believed had betrayed him. Joseph showed us that to be a man we must embody godly maturity. Although, he no longer planned to go through with the marriage, Joseph felt responsible for the well-being of this woman and her unborn child, and to avoid adding stress to an already messy situation. 

Today, our world is in need of men who are willing to put aside their ego, sacrifice their comfort, and get off of their high horse, in order to care for the needs of those around them. Look around. Who are the people who need you? How can you be more mature and responsible today?