I look forward to our Man Week celebration each year. This year ought to be greater than ever. Our Men's Fellowship has a great bunch of man who attend every Monday night. We laugh, cut up, talk about all sorts of things, have a devotional, and pray. It may seem like a simple agenda, but this is what most Christians do when they get together. The important thing to know is that someone is there when you need them.
There's a part of me that says a Christian man is a man who is there for you when the need arises. There is great latitude in letting others live their lives. We do not condemn, or judge, and mostly, we try to appreciate the efforts of others to do right and take care of their own responsibilities, all the while, maintaining a watchful eye if someone needs us. A godly man spends most of his time simply living his example out before other men and laboring to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. Godly men are not meddlers "in other men's matters." (1st Peter 4:15) They do, however, want others to know they are available to assist if someone falls into need.
Men should allow, and even expect, other men to be men. To me all excuses just end if you are of the male gender. Our society seems to allow men to whine and complain about so many things that just a generation ago we would have considered embarrassing for a man to even mention. I'm not saying to just shut up and put up, but realize that when you mention to another man you need help, a godly man will challenge you to be a man.
So many men today seem to fail in life because they have been trained to avoid the hard stuff. Part of being a man is shouldering the hard stuff so others can have it easier. This is not just true of fathers, but of men towards society in general as well. Men should bear the load, lift the fallen, and strengthen the weak. The call to manhood is a high calling of sacrifice for others. We are to set the example of Christ in the church, our homes, on the job, and in government. Manhood means serving others.
It is the spirit of the world that says, "I'm a man, so serve me." We have got to get past the idea that we are to live for pleasure and gain. As godly men we are to live for the benefit of others. Being a servant is the key to leadership and it is also the key to being a man who is respected.
Being respected in society used to be important to men. Their word and their reputation were highly valued. Protecting their integrity was so important that men consciously checked their words and actions continuously. Paul told Timothy that a good reputation in the community is required of those who represent the Lord. He went on to say that to disgrace your reputation causes you to fall "into the devil’s trap." (1 Timothy 3:7) To me the worse thing in the world is for us to so mess things up that no one takes our words seriously anymore. Not only will people avoid us, they will also ignore our testimony about the saving power of the Lord.
Paul also told Timothy that "exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things." (1 Timothy 4:8) I see so many men trying to side step this truth as they labor so hard to have great knowledge and education, or they work longer and harder than their peers, or they even go the second mile on occasion. However, they are defeating themselves by not exercising godliness in their personal lives.
The final thing I want to share about godly men is that they are men of prayer. This is my favorite part of meeting with the Calvary Men's Fellowship each Monday night — we pray. As we go around the table asking for each to share their prayer requests, I love to see the honesty in each man's words as they tell us what they need prayer for. After each man has shared, we all join hands and take these requests before the Lord. As our united prayers arise, we know that these prayer requests will turn into praise reports in our future meetings. Just tonight, several men shared answered prayer for things our group has been praying for over the past few months.
Next Monday we will be into our Man Week celebration with the Pastor's Patio Picnic at the Parsonage. I enjoy hosting these fine men and their guests each year. It's my way of saying how much I appreciate godly men. These are men who will give you the shirt of their backs, offer great words of biblical wisdom, and lift up prayer on your behalf to our heavenly Father. My life has been enriched by knowing them. Some of them have served the Lord for many years. I pray they will continue for many more. Throughout Man Week, I know our respect for one another will grow, along with our devotion to the Lord. I thank God I'm a man, because God has given me a place of godly influence among men. There is no greater joy than to help a brother in the Lord become more godly.