Act Like a Man: 9 Ways to Punch Life in the MouthSample

Sage: Learn Your Lessons

Getting an education is easy; getting wisdom is hard. Throughout Proverbs, the son is continually exhorted to go on a treasure hunt for the priceless wisdom that is often hidden in this foolish world. Wisdom comes from God the Holy Spirit, and He only bestows wisdom on those who are seeking to honor and obey the Father. The reason most men, young and old, are foolish is simple: They do not have the Holy Spirit. However, if you are the Father’s son, you have the Holy Spirit, which means you have the unique opportunity to grow in wisdom.

Ephesians 1:16-17 tells us that the Holy Spirit brings wisdom. You don’t need to be smart or educated to be wise. You need to be humble enough to study, learn, repent, ask questions, and change your mind when you are wrong. This explains why sometimes the smartest people are not the wisest people – they lack humility and the Spirit.

James encourages us to ask for wisdom. Let me make this as clear as I can. Imagine that you are a father, and you have a son you love. You tell your son to do something good for him and to not do something bad for him. Imagine your son then looks at you and says, “Dad, I love you and I trust you. I want to obey you. I am not sure what steps to take next. Would you be willing to help me learn how to obey you?” What would your answer be? “Of course!”

God is your Father, and you are His beloved son. James is saying that you have a Father who wants to help you grow in wisdom and obedience. If you ask Him for help, your Father always answers with a joyful “Yes!” You should pray something like, “Father, help me get prepared for marriage; send the Holy Spirit to make me into the kind of man who can love a woman faithfully for 50 years.” You could also pray, “Father, I want to be a great dad who is a lion for and a lamb with my kids. Please send the Holy Spirit to empower me with wisdom to be a father to my kids.”

Pray frequently, pray expectantly, and pray specifically. Don’t just ask for a job; ask for a job that will provide for your family and not rob every minute of your life. Don’t just ask for a house; ask for the details your family would benefit from most in a house. Don’t just pray by yourself; if you have a wife, pray with her, and if you have kids, include them. Keep modeling humility and dependence upon the Lord, and when God answers prayers and provides wisdom and provision, celebrate and let your family see that your Father is a perfect Father.

You’re a son, and God is your Father. If you pray, “Father, I need wisdom” for anything, He’ll never look at you and say no. Whatever season of life you’re in, you’ve never been there before, so you might not know what to do. In every season of life, a man who is moving through the life stages must overcome his fears, grow in courage and wisdom, and keep learning and growing. No matter how old you get, you are always a son and will always need your Father. Also, as the leader, you need to keep growing and maturing so you don’t put a lid on the maturity of other family members.

Where do you get wisdom? It comes from God the Holy Spirit and Scripture. Time in the Bible and good Christian books written by people with the Spirit of God are always a good idea. Prayer and worship are opportunities to listen to the Holy Spirit and transfer your burdens to your God.

God is a Father. Jesus is the prototype for what a mature son looks like at any life stage. God the Father sends God the Son to save us from our sins and set the pattern, precedent, and prototype of what a mature man is: filled with the Holy Spirit, growing in wisdom, and always learning, repenting, and maturing. The Holy Spirit is the one who comes into you to make you like Jesus, the Son of God. So, what does wisdom look like? It looks like the Holy Spirit making you like Jesus.

In what area(s) of your life do you need wisdom from other guys? Who could help meet this need?