Gen 2; Eph 5:25-30; Matt 11; 1Pet 3; a servant to all - Jesus and leadership and responsibility – Matt 20:25-28; 23:11-12; Mark 9:33-37; 10:41-45; Phil 2:1-11 Men are to look like Jesus…
We men are to look like Jesus…
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30
Meek:
Not weak, but humble and gentle, tender-hearted and strong, developing the strength and fortitude to restrain the natural tendencies of a man when enticed by the wiles of this world. It takes tremendous strength to be gentle and humble, to be self-controlled as to exhibit tenderness. This happens when one establishes one’s confidence in God and God‘s promises and commits to develop the character of Jesus themselves. Gentlemen grow in and exude strength and self-control, grace and care, consideration and courtesy, tenderness and compassion - and learn to treat others as such.
Redemptive:
“…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”
2Peter 1:5-7
A man, in Christ, is courageously honest with God, self, and others. They regularly inventory their lives and assess their character in reference to Jesus. A man must learn to receive and rejoice in those things that God has done in them that reflect Jesus, while being grateful to God for the grace of being shown those things that are not, yet. He then endeavors to strengthen, cultivate, and protect those things that are like Jesus; while confessing, asking forgiveness, and repenting of - changing - those things that are not like Jesus. Men, committed to grow in Christ, then work to cultivate the characteristics necessary to replace that which is being removed; they strive to understand God‘s original intent for his being made a man, and cooperates with His intentions to transform and conform us into the likeness of Jesus, joining Him in the work of transforming, conforming, redeeming.
Responsible:
The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Gen 3:12
In the life of a man, strength is exemplified in his being responsible and taking responsibility - even, or especially, when it is painful. To see what it is that he is responsible and wisely steward it, courageously protect it, be steadfast in it, and humbly own up to it, not abdicating it to someone else or blame another for it not being so - but fulfilling his duty to God and man.
It is not good for man to be alone…
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Gen 2:18
This does not happen in a vacuum, but in and by a community, together - Certainly a man must be committed to such, but it is in the context of the body, the family, friendships, that this transformation, this building, this honing and shaping, actually occurs - the great help is the help that makes a man everything a man was intended to be, like Jesus
Malleable:
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13; 15:36-41
A man keeps his eyes open for those men (and women) around him who demonstrate a life worth emulating, seeking out relationships with others who can speak into their lives. This man then listens closely, examines thoroughly, and prays intently, to be a man who grows and matures into the character of Christ, striving to be a man worth emulating - in so - they are intentional and strategic, obedient and submissive to their heavenly Father while honoring and serving those God has placed in their lives - learning to cheerfully endure their circumstances having full confidence that God is working this great work now
