“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1st Cor. 13:11)
Over the years I have asked the following question to many people, and have received quizzical looks, “How many guys have you met in your life and how many men have you met?” Most do not seem to be able to differentiate between the two, the words, those titles “guys” and “men” are synonymous to them.
I would presume in every nation and every culture that men are thought to be those who work diligently and with perseverance at any task set before them, guys would be seen as approaching those tasks half-heartedly. Men absorb pain, both internally and externally, guys whine. Men are tough, taking from the world only that which they have earned by the sweat of their brow, guys will live off anyone, anytime.
“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” (1st Cor. 16:13)
The path our adversary is attempting to take this world on at the present time is one of destroying men, making them feeble in the world’s eyes, needy, unable to function without the assistance of others, especially from the women of the world. Satan wants all the men to become guys.
Do you know any men that spend a lot of time playing video games, watching television hour after hour each day? Living in their parent’s spare bedroom while waiting for their government assistance checks to arrive so they can fulfill more of their childish wants?
There are no guys that are born-again, no guys in heaven, there are men who serve the Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father. They have put away childish things. The man of God is above the men of this world as far as they are above the guys.
We have been blessed to have revealed to us the Sovereignty of the Almighty, and it has humbled us.
“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5)
We see the rampant and ever growing evil of this world and realize that He who sits on the throne of eternity is fully in control.
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matt. 5:6)
We hate evil, we hate what those in authority are turning this planet into, we want those who perform these acts against the Living God to be punished.
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)
I have met men in wheelchairs, who live with pain and disabilities, men who would not take a single coin from anyone unless they have in some way earned it. But I have also met men of God who have given their lives in humble service to the man who hung on that cross.
What is a man? Can one consider himself to be one because he fits into the mold of what the world says a man is? Are the only true men those who have been born-again?
I witnessed a man of God once, born with no arms or legs, standing taller than anyone in the audience he was speaking to that day, extoling the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, praising His name.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” (1st John 3:1)
I do not perform childish acts anymore, I no longer speak of childish things, my thoughts do not revolve around childish items. But I used to, right up to the moment that the Lord called me to Himself in my late twenties. I am old now, and can still see much immaturity residing within me, places where I still need to grow, but I look at them as a man of God should, as useless in my service to Him.
The man of God is mature and secure in his relationship with his Creator, men of the world, along with those guys, serve themselves.
