Men

Mark Dunagan
06/16/13 - Sunday Morning

Men

Men at times do not have the best reputation, especially this year we witnessed some horrible crimes committed by males in this country.  And what has been written about men has not always been very flattering.  In a similar manner there are times that the Bible is not flattering when it comes to describing various men:

• Judges 19:22 “Certain worthless fellows”.
• 1 Samuel 2:12 “Now the sons of Eli were worthless men”.
• 1 Samuel 25:25 “Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man”.
• 2 Chronicles 13:7 “And worthless men gathered about him, scoundrels”.

To be fair, actually the Bible is not very flattering concerning either gender for Romans 3:23 reads, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  Solomon found that good men are rare—but so are good women (Proverbs 31:10 “and excellent wife, who can find?”; Ecclesiastes 7:28).

Psalm 8:5/ A Little Lower than the Angels

Why did God make men? The answer is while it is true that men can choose to behave like brutes (Titus 1:12; 2 Peter 2:12 “like unreasoning animals”), still men also have the potential to behave like obedient heavenly messengers.

Psalm 8:5-6/ A Good Steward and Wise Leader

The annals of history are filled with men (and women) who were Tyrants, yet history and the Bible also record a number of examples of loving, caring and compassionate leadership.  Look , for example, at the character of George Washington.  After the British surrender at Yorktown in October 1781, George Washington’s commitment to the rule of law faced a major test. With the end of the war near, the thirteen states became less willing to provide the Congress with money for the army and other national needs. As a result, years of unpaid salaries to Washington’s men were still not paid. On May 22, 1782, one of Washington’s officers wrote to him that the ineffectiveness of the Congress during the war had demonstrated the inadequacy of republican government. The officer proposed that Washington become King of the United States.  George Washington replied the same day, stating that he had read the letter “with a mixture of great surprise and astonishment.” Washington continued: “no occurrence in the course of the War, has given me more painful sensations than your information of there being such ideas existing in the Army as you have expressed, and I must view with abhorrence, and reprehend with severity.” Washington wrote that he could not think of anything in his own conduct that would suggest that he would consider being king. “You could not have found a person to whom your schemes are more disagreeable. http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/classroom/rule_of_law2.html

A Spiritual Leader

There are many passages in the Bible where men exercise the lead of seeking and following God:

• “Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26).
• “Enoch walked with God” (Genesis 5:22).
• “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time” (Genesis 6:9).
• “I have chosen him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him” (Genesis 18:19).
• “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
• “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10).

At some point in our culture, too many have accepted the idea that going to worship, reading the Bible, praying and teaching young people about God is something women are interested in—but not men.  Yet, in many other cultures of the present and past, it was men who were considered the leaders in this area.  In times past, in Israel, men made learning about God a high priority (Ezra 7:10).  Even in this country, many famous men of the past were very serious about the things of God:

•  “Without God, there is no virtue, because there’s no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we’re mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”– Ronald Reagan
• “...The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it’”– Benjamin Franklin
•  “God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever”–Thomas Jefferson

Being a good steward and leader involves:

• Really being concerned about those under your care.
• Realizing that the important thing is not a “title” or “position” but rather your service to others.
• Developing young men into good future leaders.
• Showing younger men how to lead their families in a godly manner.
• Living as you should before you try to tell others how to live.

A Teacher of Children/Ephesians 6:4

God says strong spiritual leaders will take the time on a regular basis, to nurture the souls entrusted to their care.  For a toddler this may be as simple as prayer time and using the names of virtues as you encourage good behavior.  For grade school age and older, a “dad date night” with daughters or time with sons fishing, hiking, or any other activity that lends itself to time to talk about things of an eternal nature will be as wise investment.  Scheduled time as a family for reading and discussing Scripture together is invaluable. When it comes to teaching, the secret of being a good teacher is not a mystery.  Good teachers simply remember what it was like to be at the age of their students. They remember the questions they had, but maybe were afraid to ask, they remember the challenges and fears that seemed so large.  And they help the student see what they needed to see at that age.

A Protector/Nurturer: Ephesians 5:25,29

Our culture has equally embraced the overgeneralization that men are rather harsh, shallow in their thinking, and very poor at showing any positive emotion such as, kindness, sympathy or genuine love.  Yet God of course knew what He was doing when He placed a man in the role of someone who nourishes a marriage, honor his wife (1 Peter 3:7), by understanding what his family needs to flourish.  On a practical level this means:

• Remembering such events as anniversaries and birthdays.
• Providing emotional support.
• Not laughing at the typical jokes about women.
• Refusing to act like a helpless man.
• Working on your relationship with God and your wife—as priorities.

A Great Communicator/1 Peter 3:7

Men have written some of the world’s finest literature, very best poetry and deepest love notes.  Just look at the depth that one encounters in the writings of such men as David (Psalms) or Solomon (Proverbs and Ecclesiastes).  Here, as Christian men, let us break away from the cultural myth that men are unskilled when it comes to communication, for we have great potential in this area if we are courageous enough to reveal the warmth in our hearts.  When Paul said, “act like men” (1 Corinthians 16:13), he was reminding us that men are capable of great things.  So live up to your potential, and reject all the ridiculous cultural myths of what a real man really is. On a practical level this means:

• Writing love poems to your wife.
• Writing letters and notes of encouragement to your kids.
• Giving them a verbal blessing.
• Recording your life story for your children and grandchildren.
• Accepting opportunities to speak publicly.
• Involved in teaching a class, giving a lesson, extending an invitation.
• Leading family discussions.
• Being well read and knowledgeable about the Scriptures.
• Getting out of your own head---and engaging people in conversation.
• Finding out everything you can about your wife by asking many questions throughout your marriage.
• Moving past superficial conversation.
• Asking questions that start with, “What do you think about…?”  Or, “How do you feel about?”

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net