This week we did a deep dive into what the Bible tells us about being a strong man. I always took that term to mean in a physical nature, meaning muscle growth or outward toughness. I played football back in high school so being “tough” meant how many hits could you endure, how hard could you hit, how much could you lift in the weight room. At the age of most high schoolers, it is very difficult to see the difference in being mentally tough and physically tough.

I have learned as I have gotten older, being a strong man is more about learning to let go of things, such as past hurts. Forgiving those who may have done you wrong in the past. Becoming vulnerable and actually talking to another male about your feelings and what you are going through. Not realizing that chances are there is someone out there going through the same thing you are as well, and you can be there to guide each other. I grew up around those that thought doing that was considered “weak”. This is something I found extremely difficult, I struggled to let anyone know what was really bothering me in my teenage years.

Thankfully however we have a God that helps us along that path and show us what it is truly like to become a strong man in Christ. I decided to do a dive into the Bible so we can find out what God tells us is true to becoming a strong man in His eyes. Not the worlds! I believe it is very important for us to know the difference between the two if we are to live exponentially more fulfilling lives. So lets take a look at 1 Corinthians 16:13. Paul wrote to the Corinthians in this book, and what he was telling the to stand firm in what they believed, which at that time believing that Jesus was resurrected was not a popular opinion. Just like today, we need to be able to stand firm believing that Jesus died for our sins. That he is the Way the Life and the Truth in all of our lives. The amplified (AMP) version says “Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong.”

There is plenty to unpack in those few simple words. What would it mean to you to be a mature man? Does it look like holding a grudge against people? Is it being bitter to those you do not get along with? Is it quick to get angry at your wife or kids? Does it mean putting yourself above helping others? Well those are all things that I did for a long time. Once I was blessed to find a wonderful wife to help guide me, I quickly realized none of those things even remotely come close to being a mature man no matter what age or stage in life you are. I do believe diving into the Word of God and really looking at myself in the mirror has allowed me to be convicted about living that way. Thinking about who you want to be in your life or how you want to be remembered can help you to allow God to shape your heart, and when we dive deeper and see we are meant to be loving, caring, sympathetic, encouraging, forgiving, and selfless to name a few. Those qualities are what guide us to become a more mature individual in Christ.

What is courage?

Courage can look many different ways. The movie Man On A Wire is one of a form of courage. Philippe Petit crossed illegally on a high wire from the New York City Trade Center twin towers. Heights and I do not get along. That daring act takes nerves of steal, takes perseverance, determination, focus, and honestly a courage that may seem just stupid to some, to others it may seem unobtainable. I do believe this can teach us Godly men how to be courageous in our own lives. We may be walking a tightrope of life. Feeling as though a slight breeze one way or another and we may fall to our end. Possibly feeling like the balancing act of life is too hard to manage. That is where our faith in Jesus Christ comes in. We have all the opportunity to rely on him to be there to hold us up when the wind gets to heavy for us to handle in life. When Peter stepped out of the boat to walk on water towards Jesus, he only began to sink when he focused on the storm. Jesus wanted him to fix his eyes on Him. Not the storm. Whatever storm you are in, whatever strongholds you feel you are going through. Jesus is there to help us be courageous. Gods word teaches us to stand firm. Do not let your faith waiver in the storm, and when you do that your courage in Him will come to the surface, and standing firm in your faith will ultimately allow you to be strong in Christ.