Men, Why Are We So Stupid?

A man's pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.  Proverbs 29:23

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

Men, we are mildly pathetic.

And I only say mildly just to ease you into these brutal words I'm about to say.  And honestly, I'm sure this area can be applied to both genders, but today, right now, I really only want to talk to men.  Ladies, feel free to watch. 

So this blog is coming from a recent experience I had with my roommate.  And of course, this is something I've understood for months, but it resurfaced last night.  Here's the story. 

My roommate, also a great friend of mine, embodies a lot of passions and characteristics and habits that I want to have in myself. I went to the gym with him last night and first of all, didn't want to do his workout because I felt inadequate.  He's a lot stronger and better at it so I didn't want to be vulnerable there.  But I somehow agreed to do it.  Then I had to deal with his constant encouraging me during the workout, "Dude, shut up.  I know what I'm doing."  (Funny how pride can cause encouraging words to be annoying).  And then I had to deal the reality of maybe he does know what he's doing.  So again, somehow, I cut a deal, "How about you be my personal trainer and I continue to give you free haircuts?"  Which beneath that, this is what I was saying, "Hey, you're pretty good at this and I'm not.  I'm pretty good at haircuts, which is something I'm good at and you're not..  So let's make a fair trade so I don't feel like a loser coming to this gym with you." 

So, men, why are we so stupid?

Why do we allow our egos to cripple us in staying in mediocrity?  It didn't help at all that my roommate and I talked about accountability right afterwards, because the same attitude that showed up in the gym is exactly why I'm afraid of accountability, I DO NOT WANT TO ADMIT MY WEAKNESSES. 

No, men are supposed to be strong towers and rock solid.  Firm and in control.  Blah blah blah.  It's stupid for us to think this way.  Here I am, secretly wanting to workout and be in shape, and living with a freaking personal trainer.  But my ego has been keeping me from asking him for help.  And men, the same with accountability.  YOU NEED IT.  Shut up, you do.  You know you do.  You do not have it together.  You can't do it on your own.  You're terrible at holding your ownself accountable.  You'll never get better without it.  GET OVER YOURSELF. 

Okay, I know some of you may be good at self discipline, and some of you may be strong---but all I'm saying is that your solid cultural manhood can be and is probably preventing you from being such a better man.  This is fully applied in so many areas.  Because honestly, it takes some vulnerability to get healed.  The Bible tells us in James, Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.   Your pride is driving you into isolation, where Satan is wonderful at manipulating and causing you to stumble.  The "I can do it on my own" mindset is exactly the pride that causes you to fall.  It's the ultimate expression of weakness, even though our world sees it and tells you it's a strength.  Our pride is causing us to hide sin, to hide weakness, so therefore we never repent, and we never experience the strength of Jesus in our weakness.  God! Can I say that again? 

Our pride is causing us to hide sin, to hide weakness, so therefore we never repent, and we never experience the strength of Jesus in our weakness.  So the point of this blog is....

Men, stop being stupid. 

If you're afraid to go to church because you don't have anyone to go with, please stop it, you need to be there.  You need the community, you need the fellowship of other believers.  If you're afraid to be vulnerable with someone, please stop it.  That person is weak and helpless without Jesus so you sharing how you are weak and helpless does not make you lesser, but it's showing that you understand and realize that you need a Savior.  It's honestly just better life awareness.  I know you may need a little more than my own words.  So here's God, showing this in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Cross because it symbolizes that you already are weak.  So men, deal with that.  Accept that.  Repent and come to know Jesus, your true strength.  You are weak.  Your status will fail you.  Your money will fail you.  Your education and understanding will fail you.  You are not stronger and more wise and more rich and more glorified that Jesus, so get over yourself and deal with this reality.  The truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that you could not gain God's approval on your own, you could not pay for your own sin, you could not do anything with Him soo.....this idea that you're okay is a full out--blown out of proportion--- lie. Because if you were okay, you wouldn't need the Gospel. 

So men, stop being stupid.  Instead, let's accept the fact that we need each other, and we need Jesus.  Brothers, I need you, and you need me.  We will not reach and redefine manhood in our world and in our families without submitting ourselves to the authority of God and accepting the truth that we need Him in ALL areas of our lives.  Let me show you this ironic verse in Galatians 5:22-26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

I find it funny that the fruit of the Spirit is self-control.  God gives us self control.  Hahaha. Makes you wonder how much control we really have huh?  So, stop being conceited, you don't have it together as well as you think.  You need help.  You need accountability.  You need community.  You need a best friend. You need a small group. You need a local church.  You need help. 

So stop being stupid.

Let's redefine strength men.  Or better said, let's define ourselves in the true definition of strength.  Let's live by 2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.