More thoughts on manhood

After a discussion with a mentor earlier today (which was after a men's prayer lunch), my thoughts have yet, again, turned toward manhood and how this "state of existence" relates to our eternal pursuits.  As posted before, a close group of fellows have hashed out (that is, an attempt has been made to hash out) just what being a Christian man should hinge on. 

The comment to me after the lunch had to do with how much emphasis we do or don't put on the "masculine" and "warrior" aspects of manhood in Christ and how do you balance emphasizing masculinity and the servant heart of Christ. 

A friend and brother replied to my last post on manhood with a definition that means quite a bit to him, personally.  The definition goes like this (it is from Tender Warrior, I believe).  A Real Man is one who

-rejects passivity

-accepts responsibility

-leads courageously, and

-expects the greater reward

 

As far as definitions go, that is a good one, I think.  But, how do you flesh that out like Jesus did?

I now have just read an article in Discipleship Journal about "taking holiness to work".  It shed some light on this subject for me.  The author in this article wrote that we should be"more anxious to give others their rights than to insist upon our own,... prefer infinitely to be the victims of injustice than to be unjust ourselves" and, "...a holy person would a thousand times rather suffer wrong than do wrong.  He watches carefully lest others be the losers through his fault.  He never takes advantage of the ignorance of another."

That may not speak to others the way it spoke to me.  But, somehow, THAT, to me, is the kind of thing that defines biblical masculinity.  The somewhat confusing thing is that it also describes biblical femininity, because it describes biblical Christianity.  Maybe the question isn't what is man-like or woman-like, but what is Christ-like.  Because what is Christ-like defies division between gender, or else, Christ died for men only...? 

 

That's all for now...sometimes the best answer..is more questions...