Undaunted.Life: A Man's DevotionalSample

MENTAL, Day 1: Yes… With the Mind, Too

The second element of an Undaunted.Life is to have MENTAL resilience. Of the three elements, this is the one that goes most neglected by many men. In order to live a truly dauntless and confident life, we must worship God with our entire mind.

As we see in Matthew 22, the Pharisees and Sadducees are trying their hardest to take the shine off of Jesus. They keep posing potential land mine questions to him in an attempt to trip him up, but of course this gets them nowhere.

Finally, one of these Pharisees, an expert in the Old Testament Law, asks Jesus this: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:36 NIV). In an allusion to Deuteronomy 6:5, Jesus says that we are supposed to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind.

Now, hearing that we should love God with all of our heart and soul seems pretty straightforward when it comes to familiar Christian vernacular. However, the declaration that we should love God with our entire mind is something that should stand out to us. At least to some degree, this means that Jesus is talking about our intellect when charging us to love God with our minds.

Many people inside and outside of Christianity think that it is simply a religion based on faith. While faith is certainly a central component of Christianity, many of the foundational tenets of Christianity can be backed up with historical, archaeological, and theological facts. We can surmise that Jesus wants us to be informed about the faith that we have chosen to follow.

So, what does this mean for guys?

Many men say things like, “I haven’t read a book since high school… I just don’t see the point” or “Why would God be concerned with my mind?” You may think like this as well, but here’s the truth of the matter: a sharp mind filled with God’s truth is a weapon he and we can use for good. It’s a hammer that we can use to help build God’s kingdom.

Read books on subjects that you’re unfamiliar with. Listen to educational podcasts. Take a course on apologetics. Engage in a cordial debate with someone that disagrees with you. Follow someone on twitter who regularly challenges you to think deeply… Do something every day that helps you sharpen your mind and your faith. These are some ways you can love God with all of your mind.

What can you do today that will help you have a deeper understanding of Christianity? What are some ways that you can actively exercise your mind?