(no subject)
Something's been on my mind, and through many events has caused my mind to prey on the topic...
What the world has become to believe as the definition of a "man" brings grave feelings to my heart.
Think about these, by the world's standards:
-If a guy can lift the most weights he's the truest man right?
-If a guy has a mouth like a sailor, he's the most manly?
-If a guy can grow the scruffiest beard, he's the true man?
-If a guy runs the farthest, throws the farthest football pass, he's the real man then?
-If a guy can go through the most girls in one month, and keeps them coming, then, wait, he's the best man?
And...
-If a guy really loves a girl for a person, and not an object, and sees her as a beatiful creation of God, thats nothing, right?
-If a guy takes care of his mother, cares about his family, and stands up for his younger siblings, that can be ignored?
-That if a guy stands for integrity and kindness and love, that doesn't mean anything, correct?
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I think, first of all, that there are two "men".
True Man: This is the man that God has put the power to be in every guy on earth, and God cares about a guy being a True Man.
Society's Man: This is the man that the world has created: the sometimes exaggerated opposite of the True Man.
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What the world thinks has slowly corrupted the very foundation of criteria for maturity and the definition of a man. It saddens me that I see so many men in God's eyes that are frowned upon so much in society. The men that should have the true title are but weaklings in our culture's eyes.
When a guy is polite it is often taken as sissy. When was the last time you say a teenage guy seat a lady at the table? A true good-hearted girl knows the difference between a true man and "society's man", but the number of true good-hearted girls is slowly beginning to decrease as so many girls that are always beautiful in God's eyes lower themselves to low levels for 'society's men'. There are many, though, that embrace the lady God has put inside them. These are the women that are worth it, men.
This all sounds awfully hypocritical. I hope the reader will know though, that I fall into the world's view so many times. I forget who I am and chase things of society's man without first establishing the man I am in God's eyes. Big Note: some of the qualities of Society's man are not bad at all, although the things of the true man should be paid attention to first.
I'm not sure what gets me rambling about the quality of being a man... perhaps its that Society doesn't view me as a man. But shouldn't I, according to the logic presented, be more concerned with becoming the True Man than the ideal Society's Man? The bottom line is that it's definitely not easy to measure up to Society's standards. I find myself so many times examining who I am, devouring every imperfection that I find. I'm not the strongest. I'm not the coolest. I'm not the guy with the most girls. Perhaps it's self-pity. Perhaps it's something else.
In every guy, God puts the capability for that guy to be a True Man. Whether he embraces it or not.. that is his decision. My wish is that, through Christ, my desires for manlihood will be in line with the ones that He has set.
In the end, it is up to me whether I am a man or not, not up to anything or anyone. The quest to be a True Man is on a long and hard road.
This is the road, that through Christ, I travel each day, hoping that I will continue to be transformed...
into a True Man.
>riley
What the world has become to believe as the definition of a "man" brings grave feelings to my heart.
Think about these, by the world's standards:
-If a guy can lift the most weights he's the truest man right?
-If a guy has a mouth like a sailor, he's the most manly?
-If a guy can grow the scruffiest beard, he's the true man?
-If a guy runs the farthest, throws the farthest football pass, he's the real man then?
-If a guy can go through the most girls in one month, and keeps them coming, then, wait, he's the best man?
And...
-If a guy really loves a girl for a person, and not an object, and sees her as a beatiful creation of God, thats nothing, right?
-If a guy takes care of his mother, cares about his family, and stands up for his younger siblings, that can be ignored?
-That if a guy stands for integrity and kindness and love, that doesn't mean anything, correct?
----------------------------------------------------------------
I think, first of all, that there are two "men".
True Man: This is the man that God has put the power to be in every guy on earth, and God cares about a guy being a True Man.
Society's Man: This is the man that the world has created: the sometimes exaggerated opposite of the True Man.
----------------------------------------------------------------
What the world thinks has slowly corrupted the very foundation of criteria for maturity and the definition of a man. It saddens me that I see so many men in God's eyes that are frowned upon so much in society. The men that should have the true title are but weaklings in our culture's eyes.
When a guy is polite it is often taken as sissy. When was the last time you say a teenage guy seat a lady at the table? A true good-hearted girl knows the difference between a true man and "society's man", but the number of true good-hearted girls is slowly beginning to decrease as so many girls that are always beautiful in God's eyes lower themselves to low levels for 'society's men'. There are many, though, that embrace the lady God has put inside them. These are the women that are worth it, men.
This all sounds awfully hypocritical. I hope the reader will know though, that I fall into the world's view so many times. I forget who I am and chase things of society's man without first establishing the man I am in God's eyes. Big Note: some of the qualities of Society's man are not bad at all, although the things of the true man should be paid attention to first.
I'm not sure what gets me rambling about the quality of being a man... perhaps its that Society doesn't view me as a man. But shouldn't I, according to the logic presented, be more concerned with becoming the True Man than the ideal Society's Man? The bottom line is that it's definitely not easy to measure up to Society's standards. I find myself so many times examining who I am, devouring every imperfection that I find. I'm not the strongest. I'm not the coolest. I'm not the guy with the most girls. Perhaps it's self-pity. Perhaps it's something else.
In every guy, God puts the capability for that guy to be a True Man. Whether he embraces it or not.. that is his decision. My wish is that, through Christ, my desires for manlihood will be in line with the ones that He has set.
In the end, it is up to me whether I am a man or not, not up to anything or anyone. The quest to be a True Man is on a long and hard road.
This is the road, that through Christ, I travel each day, hoping that I will continue to be transformed...
into a True Man.
>riley