There was a headline in our newspaper with a preview for a movie, I’m not sure the name of the movie, I didn’t even read the article, but the headline just jumped out at me. This headline was “What do Women Want?”.
My immediate reaction was “WHO CARES?”!
This subject will really have nothing to do with women, I just thought that would get your attention. This is actually a response to my buddy Dave who commented on the blog ‘That would suck’ about where does Job fit into the image of a successful man. I started this blog with the headline because it really opens up the question, “What is a man?”, because we as men often look to women for that answer instead of inquiring of God.
The question of what is a man, or even more personal, “Am I a man?”, needs to be answered. As John Eldredge says (see the Braveheart blog next) we as men carry that question in our hearts, “Do I have what it takes?- or Am I a man?”.
I was 24 years old, and doing my own thing (failing miserably) when I was looking for a gift for my brother for his wedding. Somehow I wandered into a christian book store and found a book by Tony Evans called “No More Excuses-Be the Man God Made You to Be”. I figured since Jason was getting married, he could use this book. I flipped through the book, and found him another present. I still have the book. I would say this book radically changed my views after getting the best education Massachusetts State schools had to offer.
The title of this blog comes from chapter 11 of Evans’ book: “No More Sissified Males” and the subtitle is “SOCIETY AND THE FEMINISTS HAVE TAKEN AWAY MEN’S LEADERSHIP ROLE, AND THEY WON’T GIVE IT BACK TO US”. Evans then goes on to explain that we as men have abdicated, surrendered, relinquished- that we have rolled over and played dead, that we have wimped out of the role God has given us, the responsibility that God requires of us as men. This role is to lead.
Job is the example that Evans uses as a man. GOD’S idea of a man. Not society’s, or a woman’s, or Hollywood’s, or even the church’s idea of a man (check Ned Flanders?).
So to answer Dave, from my ‘that would suck’ blog, Job was God’s idea of a man. In that blog, my point was a self-righteousness, trying to APPEAR HOLY . (earning approval from some odd social group?) It was a legalistic person that I was talking about, almost a religion of self-validation. Job was the most righteous man around, and when he tries to defend his integrity to God he does not bring up how perfect he was (legally), rather, he reminded God of his (Job’s) compassion on the poor.
Job says (Job 31:16-23) “If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, if I have kept bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless- but from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my birth I guided the widow- if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a garment, and his heart did not bless me for warming him with the fleece from my sheep, if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court, then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint. For I dreaded destruction for God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.”
(I was at the vet today with Sequoia, and managed to finish Tom Davis’ book “Fields of the Fatherless- Discover the Joy of Compassionate Living”, where Tom discusses that on page 52)
For us now, we need to focus on Jesus, not Job. Job was very wealthy. Jesus says to count the cost of following him and reminds us that he (Jesus) has no place to rest his head (Matt. 8:20). Jesus tells the rich young ruler (Matt. 19:21) to sell everything he had and follow him. In saying this, I don’t believe we as christians are called to either poverty or wealth, we are simply called to be living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), to obey, to know his voice, and provide for the needy.
In God’s eyes a true man is compassionate.
How would this look in your life? I believe you need to pursue God with all your heart to find that out, and with LOVE I say this, because Paul says we will give an account to God for our lives here on earth. (2 Cor. 5:10)
