Becoming a Real Man

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
(1 Corinthians 13:11 NIV)

There comes a time, when every human male comes to a crossroads in his life, and will have to make a fateful decision that will determine how he lives the rest of his life in the future.

I am not talking here about marriage, although that is part of it.

I am talking about the decision of becoming a real man.

Again, just to set the record straight, I am not talking about men who have a problem with their gender, although this too is related.

What I am talking about here, is the conscious decision that a male adolescent makes, to take full responsibility for his manhood.

And just in case you brush me aside and tell me that I’m dealing with something too big for me to handle, I am confident of my authority on the subject matter, because I am speaking from personal experience.

I know it, because I myself have made the conscious decision to be a man.

An explanation is in order, and I will make a simple one that I hope that my contemporary male readers can easily relate to.

About three years ago, I was very impressed with the movie “300”. I thought that it was everything that a young, testosterone-laden human male of the twenty-first century could want in a movie: a group of larger-than-life men, with larger-than-life physiques, doing battle with a larger-than-life enemy.

Violence? Check. Sex? Check. Super slo-mo action cutscenes? Check. Dark brooding angry Caucasian hero ready to mercilessly decapitate faceless non-caucasian henchmen? Oh yeah.

No doubt about it, this was my kind of movie.

I lapped it all up at the theatre when my wife and I went on a date to watch it. And a few months later, I decided that it deserved to be part of my Blu-ray collection. It was just that good, I thought to myself.

This was what a real man was all about, I thought. I wanted to be that big, angry Spartan with a chiselled body, screaming angry invectives, and looking ridiculously good whether it be during a steamy sex scene or in blood-soaked hand-to-hand combat.

Yeah, I wanted to be that kind of man.

Until I came to know Jesus Christ, and allowed Him to show me what a real man was all about.

Before you start shaking your head and tell yourself: “here’s another one of those fellows who got brainwashed by a fanatical evangelist,” let me just tell you this.

It is true that Jesus coming into my life was not my decision. But allowing Him to change my life was.

And the moment I made that decision, a veil was lifted from my eyes and I saw the truth.

I saw that many of the things that my culture is telling me is a lie. And that one of those things was what a real man should be like.

As soon as I realized that, I made the conscious decision to start becoming a real man.

And slowly but surely, Jesus Christ is helping me become that man.

I know I’ve made progress because this year, I saw and appreciated a real man’s movie.

Does it have violence? A bit. Does it have sex? None. Do the heroes have chiselled bodies? Couldn’t really tell since they were all wearing clothes most of the time.

So what’s there to see in this movie?

Real men.

The movie’s title is “Courageous”.

And in my mind, it blows “300” completely out of the water.

If you honestly and truly want to know what a real man looks like, then you owe it to yourself to see this movie.

This is not some shameless plug or paid advert on my part. I make this recommendation freely and voluntarily.

And please, if you do decide to see it, please help the producers of the movie by buying a legitimate copy.

Because this too is part of being a real man.

I pray, that those of you who read this will likewise come to make the decision that I made, and ask the Creator to become the real men that we were meant to be in this life.

For humanity is threatened by an enemy far more intimidating and relentless than any that Hollywood could conjure up.

We are told that many men have died having lost in the battle, and that many more will.

But we are also told, that if you will allow the One True King to lead you, nothing less than a glorious victory is granted to those who will have the courage, determination and endurance to see the battle to its end.

So rise up men of God. His Kingdom needs you.

Soli Deo Gloria!

This is My command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
(Joshua 1:9 NLT)

All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

(Matthew 10:22 NIV)