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What does it mean to be a man?  In today’s world there are many competing images and idea of masculinity. Anything from the All-American cowboy like John Wayne, to the star athlete like Tom Brady, to the actor like Will Smith, to the successful businessman like Donald Trump all connect to ideas the majority of us associate with manhood. But what is a good working definition? MANHOOD: OWNING RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONESELF AND OTHERS One of the better definitions of manhood is the ability to claim responsibility for yourself and others. Children can’t take care of themselves. Adolescences often do not have the maturity to maintain responsibility to care for others over long periods. Adult manhood revolves around the idea of taking responsibility ourselves and for others. There are times when the ideal nature of this is personified and the world stands up and cheers. Wither it is the fireman rushing into the burning building, the father who gives his child a kidney, the dad who provides for his family at great personal sacrifice, or the man who stands up for those who do not have the ability to protect themselves. With each of these examples we stand up and say, “Now there is a man.” WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE FAIL? As men who are seeking to take responsibility, we realize quickly that we fail to live up to this ideal most of the time. We like the idea of being responsible but we quickly realize we miss it often. We are not alone in this. All of mankind has always failed to live up to his responsibility. The Bible talks about it this when it says, “for all have sinned [not taken responsibility] and fall short of the glory of God [His plan and expectation]” (Romans 3:23, New American Standard) This idea of not fulfilling our responsibility to ourselves and to others does not just impact our relationships with our friends, families, and co-workers but it also impacts us spiritually. When we do not maintain our responsibility to ourselves or others, it continues to separate us from the only person who can help us to maintain that responsibility. That person is God. GOD'S DESIRE FOR US God desires for us to experience the life the way He intended for us. But that can not happen if we try to continue to do things that are contrary to the way He designed it. God’s design is that we are able to best fulfill our responsibilities when we are in a relationship with Him. But as we have already said, our not living up to our responsibilities cause a break down in our relationship with God. What are we to do? GOD'S PROVISION God did something for us that we could never do for ourselves. He allowed Jesus Christ to take the effects of our failures on Himself. Through Jesus life and death, God made it possible for us to have a relationship with Him. This relationship then provides the means for us to take responsibility for ourselves and others. There is a passage in the Bible that talks about what God did in this way, “God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.” (Romans 5:8, The Message) HAVE YOU RESPONDED? Are you trying to fulfill responsibilities you can’t? Are you still avoiding taking responsibility for the failings in your life? Are you trying to patch them up yourself? Are you ready to respond to the truth that Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead? Let God know. Tell Him. Here are some ideas to help you get the conversation started:
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