The question, “Are you a man or a mouse?” is one that is intended to cause us to evaluate our courage. Do we have the internal fortitude to face an enemy, conflict, harsh realities, and threatening situations? Man is seen as the courageous side of the scale, and the mouse is timid. Society seems to have lost sight of what it takes to be a man. Machismo is often seen as the equivalent of manhood. To swagger and strut before one’s peers and put others down is to show yourself a man. This is a warped view of manhood (Romans 12:3). A biblical view of manhood stands in stark contrast to current popular trends. Instead of trying to play king of the mountain, trying to show how tough we are, the biblical view of manhood rests on a servant model (Mark 9:33-37). The real test of manhood is in the ability to serve others. This is no milquetoast model. One look at Jesus verifies that. He came to serve others (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:25). The cross, an instrument of torture and suffering, is a symbol of his sacrifice and a our salvation. His manhood put others above himself. Unfortunately, this model is seen as weak by today’s standards, but the Bible sees it as a symbol of strength (1 Corinthians 1:18). If we lift up machismo models for boys to follow, we should not be surprised if the grow up proud and arrogant. If, however, we follow the Biblical model of service and commitment, we lend strength and honor to the next generation. True courage is seen in service and commitment. It is the machismo model that is the weak model (cf. 1 Samuel 17:32, 42-44). To put others down to make yourself look good is the mark of weakness. Putting self above others is not empowering, but demeaning. Think of a ship’s captain who pushes aside the women and children to take his place in the lifeboat. Not a courageous picture to say the least. Then think of the Captain who lives by the motto, “women and children first.” It is the man who puts others first that strikes us as courageous. So lets lay aside the bluster, quit flexing our biceps, and start demonstrating real manhood. Real men must be willing to lay down their lives to stand up for others. That is what Jesus did, and He was a real man if there ever was one.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Man or Mouse
The question, “Are you a man or a mouse?” is one that is intended to cause us to evaluate our courage. Do we have the internal fortitude to face an enemy, conflict, harsh realities, and threatening situations? Man is seen as the courageous side of the scale, and the mouse is timid. Society seems to have lost sight of what it takes to be a man. Machismo is often seen as the equivalent of manhood. To swagger and strut before one’s peers and put others down is to show yourself a man. This is a warped view of manhood (Romans 12:3). A biblical view of manhood stands in stark contrast to current popular trends. Instead of trying to play king of the mountain, trying to show how tough we are, the biblical view of manhood rests on a servant model (Mark 9:33-37). The real test of manhood is in the ability to serve others. This is no milquetoast model. One look at Jesus verifies that. He came to serve others (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:25). The cross, an instrument of torture and suffering, is a symbol of his sacrifice and a our salvation. His manhood put others above himself. Unfortunately, this model is seen as weak by today’s standards, but the Bible sees it as a symbol of strength (1 Corinthians 1:18). If we lift up machismo models for boys to follow, we should not be surprised if the grow up proud and arrogant. If, however, we follow the Biblical model of service and commitment, we lend strength and honor to the next generation. True courage is seen in service and commitment. It is the machismo model that is the weak model (cf. 1 Samuel 17:32, 42-44). To put others down to make yourself look good is the mark of weakness. Putting self above others is not empowering, but demeaning. Think of a ship’s captain who pushes aside the women and children to take his place in the lifeboat. Not a courageous picture to say the least. Then think of the Captain who lives by the motto, “women and children first.” It is the man who puts others first that strikes us as courageous. So lets lay aside the bluster, quit flexing our biceps, and start demonstrating real manhood. Real men must be willing to lay down their lives to stand up for others. That is what Jesus did, and He was a real man if there ever was one.
