Be the Man!

Take it like a man!  Be the man!  Act like a man!  These were comments that I often heard growing up.  I remember thinking that being the man in elementary school meant protecting the girls on the playground from bullies. 

Well, my in-laws just gave me Mansfield's Book of Manly Men for Christmas.  I have already read the first ten pages.  I like what I am reading so far.  I would like to memorize one of the verses referenced in the book "Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8

I also appreciated the authors statement that "we become what we do.  We are a sum of our habits."  He adds that with God's grace, we can break habitual cycles that render us ineffective. 

I think that to be "The Man" means to be able to control appetites and create good habits that allow us to demonstrate goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love.  This is my pursuit.  I hope I am better at this one month from now, one year from now and each following year until I leave this earth.  It is my dream that those who come after me will be better at it and pass on better traits to their kin.  I hope that each generation builds on the prior generation in an effort to help the next generation be stronger than the one before.