Just Be A Man

Hello readers. Welcome to my heart.  Let's begin. 

Male insecurity---DUM dum dummm-- I will say is possibly one of the deadliest issues men have to deal with.  This problem is consistently seen throughout all the motives of men.  If you've read my Male Dilemma blog, I've somewhat touched on this subject.  But this blog will be from a different angle. 

God's been dealing with my heart lately on the question, What am I really after?  In my pursuit in growing as a leader at my church and as a man, I've been asking myself what am I really after?  To answer this, I've had to really weigh my heart to be sure I am pursuing godliness and holiness for the sake of possessing it, and not for the sake of popularity and influence in the church.  This is why, I believe that the new age pastor has become the new star quarterback in high school.  Let me explain. 

So, since I've been in the "ministry world", I've noticed this common pursuit of people wanting to be pastors, or they're wanting to be the main guy speaking on stage or have this great influence, but my question is starting to be this, "Do people really know what they're asking for?" 

What I fear is happening is that the pastor is becoming a coveted position in the church.  Men are seeing these guys with great popularity and influence, and they want it.  It's a "honorable" pursuit, because instead of wanting to be the star football player, we want to be a pastor and change the world--so we say.  But deep down we're only looking for our own glory----all because of a male insecurities. 

Here's the dilemma.  Men are still looking for their worth in their popularity and influence rather than in their Creator.  My worth should not be attached to my role at Church of the Highlands, but instead to the fact that I am a son of the living God. Honestly.... to that alone.  And it burdens me when I see men finding their worth in their jobs, in their talents, in their roles on their football teams---- because all of those things are fleeting.  We shouldn't be finding our identities in fleeting things.  Do we ever build things on quick sand?  Or do we prefer to build on solid rock? Can I sum this thing up?

A lot of men look at guys like John MacArthur, or John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, Chris Hodges, Steven Furtick, or whoever we idolize in the Christian world, and we want to be like them.  But I guarantee you that many of them will not want to do what it's taking to be guys like them.  Like no one is willing to study how these guys study.  Timeless hours of devotion and dedication to the scriptures. I can sum up this entire blog in this one phrase,

Don't try to be like men of God, BE men of God. Men, let's stop coveting leaders and be leaders.  You don't have to have the influence of these men to feel important. Know that you're a a son of a Holy God.  If you don't understand the weight of that, I beg you to begin to read your word and I pray that the Holy Spirit begins to reveal to you what your Father is saying to you. 

As a leader in my church, I'll admit it feels good to be considered that.  It can easily stroke my ego from time to time.  But when the behind the scenes reality hits me, the men that are in it for the right reasons are discovered.  When the purifying fire begins to burn away those strokes of the ego----in times like when I'm stressed out when 20 extra people shows up for Motion Night unannounced, or the times when I have to go into battle for the students, or the times when I have to address an angry parent, or the times when I have to make an announcement that is bound to cause hysteria------when all the glory falls away, does the man stand? I promise you, in those moments, my ego is not being stroked. 

Guys.  Please hear me.  Let's be willing to do what it takes to be these leaders.  I'm not doubting your calling to be a pastor or whatever.  All I'm saying is be in it for the right reasons.  Let's become these men of influence.  It's a great thing to want the influence, but BE the man of God in the influence.  It's a great thing to want the popularity, but know that once you get it, your walk is no longer just about you, it's about whoever you've impressed with your words of encouragement or the message you've preached.  When you walk up on that stage that you so desperately want to be on, know that the people listening to you is counting on you to be real about what you're saying. 

Before I spoke at our college ministry this past spring, my good friend Jonathan said this statement to me.  "You do know that once you get up on that stage, you have the influence of 600+ people.  It's no longer just the 25 students you've been pouring into, but now, it changes.  And it changes immediately." 

And what was shocking about that statement was that I hadn't even thought about it.  I was so excited to preach that I didn't think of what happens in the hearts of everyone listening in the audience. 

So, men, what I'm saying.  If you want the popularity, BE ready for the influence.  I remember hearing a rapper being blamed of being a reasons in the decay of the urban culture, and his response was, "I didn't start rapping to become anybody's role model."  Well sir, you settled for the half truth of wanting to be that glorified rapper.  You wanted the glory of being a rapper, but you didn't want the responsibility of the influence.  Men, don't want the glory of wanting to be like a man of God and don't want the responsibility of the influence.  LET'S BE MEN OF GOD, and take responsibility of the influence and change the world. 

Just BE a man. 

Oh, and a side note.  Men, you were divinely given great influence by the design order set in place by God.  So...might as well take the responsibility. 

So yeah, this isn't even optional.