This past week I turned thirty years old and upon entering a new decade of my life, I took some time to survey the last decade. As a man, husband, and now father, I have struggled with my role and responsibilities as a leader of my home. I have not been the top money earner most of our marriage. I feel like I have dropped the ball as spiritual head of the household more times that I would like to acknowledge. I also have not always been the husband I should've been or even wanted to be. To be honest, I have much room for improvement.
Tonight, we watched the movie Hope Springs and I was convicted by some of the marital issues dealt with in the movie. Though I did not start my marriage well, I would like to get to the end of my life knowing that I loved my wife and children well. Everyday truly feels like a battle. There are so many distractions in life seeking to steal our time, love, and attention. There are so many excuses of why not to lead well, love well, or work hard. I don't want to be one of those men with a laundry list of excuses for why I was not the man I should've been.
I spent the last year of my life striving to live differently than I had before. I have worked hard to be faithful in my job, faithful to love my wife well, faithful in preparing to become a dad, faithful in pursuing ministry, and faithful in writing this blog. I can tell you that there have been many days that I failed at each one of these pursuits and yet there were many more days where I held true in being faithful. Throughout this time of growing into the man I am suppose to be I learned that I cannot become that man without seeking the one who created me.
How can I truly understand who I am as a man if I never seek the God who created men? How can I truly understand what it means to be a husband unless I learn from the one who created marriage? How can I truly understand what it means to be faithful in accomplishing the task before me unless I understand what Jesus accomplished for me on the cross? The answer is that I can't. In order to become the man I want to be, I have to seek Christ.
Unfortunately, as men, many times our downfall is that culture tells us we have to become men on our own and we believe them. The stereotype is that men never need to ask directions. We also fall prey to the stereotype that we don't need anyone correcting or reproofing us. Men are capable of overcoming any struggle, situation, or problem, on their own. We are man hear us roar. Sadly these lies are exactly why so many men have no idea what it means to be a man of Christ.
Contrary to popular belief, becoming a man requires the humbleness to be teachable. Being a true man requires the willingness to submit and even fall to your knees in seeking direction from God. Being a true man requires loving those around you in a way that breaks your own pride while healing the hearts of the ones you love. Being a true man requires admitting your mistakes, asking for forgiveness, and turning from your area of folly. Being a true man is hard. Being a true man requires courage. Being a true man, like Jesus, is probably the hardest challenge a man will ever face and yet being a true man is what we are all called to be.
As I enter this new decade of my life, I will strive to be a true man in Christ. I love the movie Courageous and believe that all men should have to watch it. I believe that the men in Courageous have figured out the path of being true men. I have included the closing speech of Courageous because I believe it lays out so well what it means to be a true man in Christ. I pray that if you are a man who is reading this blog tonight, that your heart would be stirred to be the man outlined in this speech.
Blessings,
Greg
