Show Thyself A Man # 1

Show Thyself A Man # 1

"Be thou strong and show thyself a man" (1 Kings 2:2).

No one can read the Bible in a thoughtful way without being impressed with the fact that it makes much of manhood, and holds it up as something that should be sought after with diligence and perseverance.

In fact the Bible exalts and emphasizes manhood in a remarkable way, and shows that real manhood is a great thing in the world. The book of Genesis contains sixty chapters and covers 2,300 years of human history, and yet one half of it is devoted to telling us about the colossal manhood of Abraham, and a third to that of Joseph.

The story of creation is told in 800 words, but a great deal more space is given to the story of Caleb's rugged manhood. A whole book is occupied with the story of Job, and another with that of Daniel, while long chapters here and there tell us of other men who are safe examples to follow.

God has thus shown very plainly what He considered important by where He has put the italics. The Lord is not a respecter of persons, but He is a respecter of character, and a very good respecter of it, too. Indeed, He does more than respect it. He admires it.

Hear His admiration of the character of Job, in the strongest language that even God can use, in declaring, "He is perfect!"

Abraham towers like mountains above molehills when he pushes aside the spoils of the unrighteous king of Sodom, lest he should say that Abraham was depending on him. Look at Daniel keeping himself pure in that pestilential palace. Look at David.

We are also told that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and that he delighteth in his way; and this, I take it, means in plain English, that God loves to watch a real man go out and grow!

Let me ask you to note, first of all, that David wanted Solomon to be anchored to a noble purpose. He didn't want the young man to drift along in an aimless way, like a log in a whirlpool, but he wanted him to have his eye set on something for which it would be worth his while to spend every energy to reach.

And so with his dying breath he said, "Don't be a mere floater, my son. Don't be a drifter on the stream of time, but stem the current that would carry you down, but be a man."

David himself had been a man of high and lofty purpose. His own life must have been greatly influenced by the character of Moses and the other mighty men of God who had preceded him. That his aim was high and his purpose lofty is clearly evident from his life and his writings.

It is not as accident that he went from the sheep fold to the throne. Success like that never comes about to mere change. One reason why there are so many bones bleaching along the highway of life is those who once started out with bright and shining faces never expect to go anywhere in particular.

David was faithful to all his duties as a shepherd, but he looked higher than that humble calling, and made it a stepping stone. While a shepherd he improved his opportunities, trained his powers and qualified himself to be a king.

David was anxious that Solomon should have a high aim. He wanted him to reach out for the top of the mountain. He didn't want him to be content with a summer house in the valley. He wanted him to own the very best estate in the country where the giants were.

He didn't want him to be an old woman or a sissy sort of a fellow, but a man with knotted muscles on his arms, a big heart in his body and plenty of matter in his head. He wanted him to aim high, as a king's son should, knowing that if his aim was high his endeavor would not be wasted.

He wanted his son to raise his chin high enough to look the sun in the face, and so he said, "Solomon, be a man!"

Manhood - true manhood - princely manhood, like that of David, is one of the grandest things in the world, and it is something that counts as nothing else does.

It does not depend upon the size of the body. There are men of small stature, like Paul and Napoleon, who tower above other men as the mountains above the plain, and there are physical giants who are middle-weights in manhood.

Samson was a giant in stature and a baby in self-control. It was not the Philistines who destroyed Samson. It was Samson himself.

The man who is able to say "no" whenever it should be said is walking in a way that will lead straight to his own good.

Strive to be strong in self-control by making timely decisions about what you are going to do about such important matters as temperance, morality and religion.

~Billy Sunday~

(continued with # 2)