'Act Like Men'

"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." -- I Corinthians 16:13-14

Act like a man. Man up. Be a man. We’ve all heard those phrases. But what do they even mean? Sadly, our culture devalues the role of men, particularly in the home. But God says men are important. Husbands are important. Fathers are important. What we do is important. God created us, and He obviously had in mind specific duties and responsibilities for men. So, in order to know what those duties are, we must consult the manufacturer.

Provide: A family’s needs are numerous. Food, clothing and shelter are just the tip of the iceberg. A man accepts this responsibility, and provides good things for his family (Matt. 7:12; I Tim. 5:8).

Protect: Men protect because we understand that God protects (Prov. 14:26). Whether it is physical, moral or spiritual, a man watches out for the well-being of his family.

Instruct: The man is the spiritual bedrock of the family (Eph. 6:4). It’s God’s design from the beginning for men to lead the home.

Correct: God corrects us because He loves us (Prov. 3:11-12). There’s a right way and a wrong way to correct our children (Heb. 12:5-11). We must educate, instruct and warn.

Model: A Godly man sets a good example (Deut. 6:4-9). There are little eyes watching us all the time.

To be effective, though, our character must be of …

Love: Demonstrate it. Speak it. Show it.

Compassion (Ps. 103:13): We know our God is compassionate toward us (Luke 15:20).

Encouragement: Men need to be encouragers (Col. 3:21). Words of “I’m proud of you, I love you, good job” need to reguarly come from our mouth.

Devotion (Josh. 24:15): Make the same declaration Joshua did for you and your family. If we want our wife and children to pursue the Father, then we’ve got to pursue the Father.

Men, we are crucial. We are necessary. We possess great power; more power than we may realize. We can make a tremendous impact, for good or for bad. Let us not neglect the responsibilities God has placed upon us, nor abuse the power that God has given us.