He Knew Who He Was

"Quit you like men" translates a single Greek word, andrizesthe. It appears nowhere else in the New Testament. Paul reached for a word his readers knew from the Greek Old Testament, where God tells Joshua again and again to be strong and of good courage before he crosses into a land full of enemies. Manhood, in that word, means courage in the face of something that could kill you.

Then Paul writes the next line: "Let all your things be done with charity." The strength comes first, and then it is placed under the command of love.

Many men were raised on half of that sentence. Somewhere early, often before we had words for it, we made a vow. Nobody will ever do that to me again. Nobody will see me cry. I will hit first. Psychologists have names for this kind of protective wiring. Scripture calls it a hard heart. It kept us alive once, and it is quietly killing everything around us now. The armor that keeps pain out also keeps love out. A man who cannot be hurt cannot be reached either, and his children feel that long before they can explain it.

Our culture is selling young men both extremes at once. One voice tells them strength is dominance and a woman's respect can be taken. Another tells them any strength is dangerous and they should apologize for being men at all. Both voices are making money off boys who never had a father show them the third way.

John 13 shows it. "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel." Read the order. He knew where He came from, He knew where He was going, and He knew what was in His hands. Then He knelt. His security produced His gentleness.

That is why hardness is so often fear in disguise. The man who has to dominate is a man who is not sure who he is. The man who knows he is loved by the Father can stoop to wash feet and lose nothing.

Jesus is the standard for that kind of manhood, and He is also the way into it. He was strong enough to be bound and gentle enough to forgive the men driving the nails. Bring Him the vow you made as a boy. Let Him break it. Then stand.