February 13, 2010

• Godliness versus the Art of Manliness

  What things do you "eagerly seek" in your life?  (Matthew 6:32)

  Last night I watched the astonishing opening ceremony of the Olympics (hosting the cream of the world's best and most beautiful/handsome athletes and the top dignitaries of Canada) with a group of handsome, beautiful, talented, witty, 'impressive' young adults.  Today I came across the "Art of Manliness" website, with thousands of posts and subscribers from the last 3 years, aspiring to impart chivalry, gentlemanliness, and other so-called manly arts to the masses of modern men.  Manly skills, manly hobbies, manly secrets, manly relationships, "What can manly men expect of women", etc.  Al Mohler posts regularly about 'christian manhood', such as here and here.  John Eldredge calls men to 'love and war' and casts men as rangers, warriors, beauty-pursuers, kings, and sages.  Many more authors and speakers call us to being 'raised right', heroism, and chivalry.  Many bemoan the wussification of our culture.

  Yet what says God, our Maker?  Do we not hear in the Bible the call of a completely separate goal (than being manly (or womanly), respected (or loved), successful (or secure), chivalrous (or captivating), and satisfied in this life)?

  "What do you mean, Tim?" you might ask.  "What's wrong with these things?"

  Please consider these verses -

   

  And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
  "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
  The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'
  But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'
  I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."   Luke 18:9-14

   

  "How can you believe, when you <SUP class=xref value='(BA)'>receive glory from one another and you do not seek <SUP class=xref value='(BB)'>the glory that is from <SUP class=xref value='(BC)'>the one and only God?"  John 5:44

   

  Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him.
  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God."   Luke 16:14-15

   

  Thus says the LORD,
       "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool
           Where then is a house you could build for Me?
           And where is a place that I may rest?
           For My hand made all these things,
           Thus all these things came into being," declares the LORD. 
       "But to this one I will look,
           To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word."
               Isaiah 66:1-2
  

   

  Would you rather have manliness (or womanliness), or the approval of God?   Which lasts forever?  

  Would you rather be considered clever, or have people understand that Jesus Christ is mighty to save?  

  Would you rather be a manly man (or confident/captivating woman), or be a "weak", "humble", "contrite", "trembling" man (or woman) who has eyes and ears only for God's approval?

   

  • 6:24 pm
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