What Does it Mean to Be a Man?
One of those deep questions is: What does it mean to be a man? Let’s look at King David, the man after God’s own heart, to see his example of holy manhood as a man of faith, as a father, as a king and shepherd of God’s people.
When the time of David’s death drew near, he gave these instructions to his son Solomon: “I am going the way of all flesh. Take courage and be a man. Keep the mandate of the LORD, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in whatever you do, wherever you turn, and the LORD may fulfill the promise he made on my behalf when he said, ‘If your sons so conduct themselves that they remain faithful to me with their whole heart and with their whole soul, you shall always have someone of your line on the throne of Israel.'”
~ 1 Kings 2:1-4
In this passage David is essentially on his death bed passing on to his son the greatest gift he can give him: knowledge of God. He doesn’t fear his impending death. David never really feared anything. His trust was always in God allowing Him to achieve great things not only for himself, but for the people he had been given charge of leading and shepherding. It is told that David slew lions while he shepherded his father’s flock as a young man.
This is a guy who any man can look up to. Not to say that he was perfect, for he had his shortcomings, especially when it came to women and the lustful desires of the flesh. Nevertheless, those times he did sin and was made aware of it, he immediately repented and sought God’s forgiveness. He didn’t carry the burden of his sins around on his shoulders for ten, twenty, or thirty years. He trusted in God’s merciful heart.
As David faces death with a face like flint, he continues to trust in the promise God made to him, not just for him, but for his family, his descendants.
Take Courage and Be a Man
Wow, what powerful words! Although this might evoke images of the football coach patting his player on the shoulders, it is much more than that. David knows that to be true man requires courage, because we tend towards minimalism, looking to the least that we can to get by. But a virtuous man will live with courage, seeking to live out his vocation, his manhood to the fullest. And in the following verses David shows just what true manhood is all about.
“Keep the mandate of the LORD, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the law of Moses.”
~ 1 Kings 2:3
A true man is a man of God, a man after God’s own heart. Not just a man who blindly follows the rules and regulations set forth by the divine taskmaster. No. A man who out of deep love for his Father seeks to make Him proud, who acknowledges the fact that His Father knows best and wants the best for him, therefore ordering all aspects of his life in union with the will of his Father. That’s what it means to be a man.
“That you may succeed in whatever you do, wherever you turn, and the LORD may fulfill the promise he made on my behalf.”
~ 1 Kings 2:3
And when we live this way, God’s way, we find that it is the best way to live, the way in which we fulfill our potential as men. We are made successful in all that we do, in every aspect of our lives—physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially, intellectually, etc. We begin to see God’s blessing over us. It’s a promise! And David wasn’t afraid to call God on His word, to remind Him of His promises. And that promise was as follows:
“If your sons so conduct themselves that they remain faithful to me with their whole heart and with their whole soul, you shall always have someone of your line on the throne of Israel.”
~ 1 Kings 2:4
It’s a promise to David, but it’s also a promise to all parents. You see our purpose as parents is not just to provide for our children’s material needs. Our purpose as parents is to love them, lead them, and let them go. David shows us all three in these few short lines of scripture. For by being the man God had made him to be, he became a shepherd not just of his father’s sheep, but also the shepherd of his Father’s flock, the people of God. He brought them together, uniting the twelve tribes of Israel who had been divided for years. As men, as parents, it is our duty and responsibility to maintain unity in our families, to lead and guide our children and spouse by our daily lived example into the arms of the bridegroom. One of our greatest goals in life should be to bring our families to God, to raise saints!
Are you a man after God’s own heart? Do you courageous seek to be the man that God made you to be in all aspects of your life? And do you lead your family by your example to do the same?
A Book for Men
One of my favorite Catholics authors and speakers is Fr. Larry Richards. His no nonsense style is a breath of fresh air in the oft stifled, boring, unchallenging preaching of our priests. Fr. Larry’s book Be a Man! Becoming the Man God Created You to Be dives even deeper into this topic and I recommend it to all men, whether Catholic or not. Be a man and get this book! I promise you your life will never be the same.