Men of Maturity’s Call
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13
until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ Ephesians 4:13
Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. Colossians 1:28
Recently I heard about a book titled “The Death of the Grown Up” by Diane West. Remarkable! She noticed a trend in America regarding men not growing up and maturing. It has been an agenda of evil poised to the ravaging male leadership and fatherhood and protection in our society. I have also noticed the way men are portrayed in the media – everything masculine is denounced as toxic and the feminization of the younger males, and they are indoctrinated into lazy states of existence with no purpose but to follow their own hedonistic ends apart from God. And the last alarming thing I have noticed is the lack of male leaders emerging within the American church as a whole. I personally struggle with those who are afraid to pray publicly, to share a message and speak up when they have something to say regarding faith and the Word of God when given the opportunity to express their thoughts and what they know. It is fascinating how willing so many men are to not take up the mantle and leave things to the ladies…. Don’t get me wrong, I am overly grateful for the women stepping out in faith and essentially doing what the “Adams” are supposed to do – remember he never told Eve she shouldn’t eat the fruit and passively let happen what God said not to.
Why? Why can’t men be men? Why can’t men stand up? Why can’t men move past comfort and passivity to prepare the next generation for the difficult times ahead? Why is it like pulling teeth to get men to engage and lead? Is it that they have all become beta boys? Is for lack of discipleship? Are pastors and fellow brothers in Christ not showing good examples? Is it just plain ol’ cowardliness? Is it fear of others and how they may be viewed? The Bible says:
God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7
If we take a closer look at the passages above and the one just presented there are some actions words and characteristics that men ought to have as born again believers.
be watchful = it means to vigilantly keep awake
stand firm = be resolute and persevere
act like men = to show yourselves manly
be strong = to empower and increase in vigor and might
attain… mature manhood = arrive in complete labor and growth mentally and morally
stature = maturity, as big as
proclaim = preach, promulgate, declare, speak of
warning = put in mind, calling attention , to caution, reprove gently, admonish
teaching = to learn and then teach
not of fear = not cowardly, not timidity, not fearful – and always used in a bad sense of cowardice
but of power = rather of force, miraculous dynamite, meaning, night, strength, violence, wonderful work, able, possible
of love = affection, benevolence, embracing the deliberate sense of the will of principle, duty and propriety
of self control = disciplined and sound mind
When you put this al together, these are attributes and abilities God gives men to be men. I pose two questions:
Are you answering God’s call to be a man? Are you living as men of maturity’s call?
Only when men be the men God has called them to be and to act maturely and accordingly will America and the church be what God wants it to be…. So, I am calling all men to embrace manhood, to engage in maturity, to step passed comfort, complacency, insecurity and cowardice – our country, our society, our families, our wives, our children, our congregations, our leadership teams, our fellowship depends on it!