Men of Obedienceნიმუში

Being a Man

Life is hard.

“Suck it up.” “Grin and bear it.” “No pain, no gain.” “Be a man.”

A volatile and political debate about masculinity surrounds us. What does it mean to be a man? What should we do?

Jesus definitely navigated such things. When He was thrust into the political and religious controversies of His day (e.g., should we pay taxes to Caesar or not? [Matthew 22:21]), He often found a third way that defied the “either/or” thrown at Him.

We must do the same.

Today, I’ll suggest an aspect of classic masculinity we should keep, and tomorrow, a part we can lose.

In all of it, we follow and obey Jesus.

Hard work has been our lot since the Fall (Genesis 3:17-19). Throughout history, men have sweated and suffered to survive.

Life is hard.

The difficulties of life forged strong men. Calloused hands and scars were the membership fee for life, and the dues were paid daily.

Have you noticed that our cherished fictional and historical stories always preach the virtue of perseverance? Imagine the silliness of The Lord of the Rings or Narnia without heroes enduring hardship.

Our greatest story is Jesus, who “endured” the cross (Hebrews 12). Jesus worked some days 'til exhaustion (John 4:5-6). When Jesus’ rest was interrupted, He “sucked it up” and served (Mark 6:30-44). Jesus persevered through His disciples’ lack of faith, foolishness, and blindness.

Jesus also lamented (e.g., Luke 19:41-44). Endurance doesn’t mean repressing negative emotions. David powerfully endured the wilderness and expressed His pain in the Psalms (e.g., Psalm 5:1-12).

If we follow Jesus, endurance is obedience. It’s part of being a man. A simple Bible study of suffering, perseverance, and endurance will eradicate any doubt you have.

There’s a good chance your life is hard. Your health is failing, your work seems futile, your finances are precarious, your spouse is perpetually depressed, your child is struggling, and/or your sex life is non-existent.

The way forward is not ease; it is endurance. It is the way of manhood and the way of Christ.

Prayer: Lord, protect me from the lies that cause me to expect ease. Give me strength to endure ­­­_____________. Jesus, I’m amazed at Your endurance. Help me follow You. Amen.

Reflection: Identify an area where you need to endure. What would it look like for you to express your angst like the Psalms teach us? What would it look like for you to joyfully endure?