In a world where our God-created identities are being questioned and the idea of manhood is an offense to some, the title of this article could be a trigger event. The title is right out of Scripture, the place where our unique identities are spelled out with clarity and in simple terms. Who we are as men and women in God’s eyes is not a fabricated identity created by a confused culture without a source of absolute truth.
King David was about to die. He called in his son Solomon to his bedside to offer his parting wisdom. David said, “So, be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses” (I King 2: 2-3).
Did you notice that David, one of the greatest warriors of all time, never mentioned biceps or bravado? He killed bears and lions while alone as a shepherd boy. He dumped Goliath on his keister by planting a rock between his eyes and then cut off his head with his own sword. He had mighty men surrounding him that today would be defined as “toxic males” by some in our confused gender-neutral culture. He was all man in every aspect but described to his son what real manhood looks like – faithfulness to God and obedience to His Word.
David knew he was a warrior king and had the physical strength to engage in bloody hand-to-hand combat and win. He knew his position as king and his notoriety as a national hero. None of those things would keep him from sin with Bathsheba or any other sin he committed in his life. It was his devotion and his heart of repentance and humility before the Lord that defined him as a real man. Those choices defined his manhood and allowed him to die in peace secure in his identity as a man after God’s own heart. “He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor” (I Chronicles 29:28).
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Garris Elkins
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