Ch 3 The Manly life
Knowing when to begin to act like a man is useless until one knows how a real man acts. The responsibilities of a man vary across cultures and time. However, there are qualities of a real man that transcend all cultures and time.
In a majority of cultures especially ancient cultures men were expected to be hunters and warriors. In today’s society that is not so much the case, at least in the United States. The skills translate from these occupations into modern expectations.
Take hunting for example. The man is still often considered to be the provider for his family. Yes, this is changing and becoming less of the norm in our culture. That doesn’t change the fact that deep down inside it is satisfying for a man when he provides for his family. That is because he is connecting with God in the role God created the man to fulfill. God is the ultimate provider, but He created man to be a conduit of His provision.
Being a warrior translates into defending the ones who are unable to defend themselves. Taking on the warrior mentality does not mean fighting at the drop of a hat. Often times it takes a bigger man to walk away from pointless testosterone filled fights.
Jesus probably doesn’t come to mind when we think of history’s greatest warriors, but He must be at the top of the list for history’s greatest providers. I would even argue He should be at the top of the list of greatest warriors. Who else can you name that conquered death? Jesus is the greatest example of a man we will ever witness. I don’t have the time or space to explain in the necessary detail why Jesus is the greatest example. So you will need to read for yourself. Begin with the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to see what it means to live a perfect manly life.
The example set by Jesus is impossible to replicate but it gives us a goal for which to strive. That is where our verse, 2 Peter 1: 3 – 9. Striving to meet the goal set before us by Jesus, we will be living out the principles laid out in this verse. Jesus lived this verse to perfection. We know we will never be capable to doing so, but we are offered forgiveness by God so we are able to continue striving to accomplish that goal. The funny thing is, the harder we strive the more impossible it is for us to accomplish the goal. We must lean into God, rely on Him, turn to Him constantly or we are destined for failure.