Yesterday, as I was out, walking through the streets of LA, I had opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a young man, and it became a "nice" conversation that covered several different areas. But, all of our conversation centered around one main topic: Manhood. What is it? Why it appears that most are not resting, or operating in it? And, how is it women do not seem to respond to those that express it?
As much as we talked, and I shared a few a scriptures with him, he appeared to still have "hesistation" based on his own, personal, self-evaluated, wisdom. We prayed and I went on with the rest of my evening. Arriving at my place of residence, I grabbed a book that I have read a few times, and it was within one of the chapters that I saw what was actually causing this young man's "hesistation". Now, based on the young man's style of conversation and his perceived bravatto, I probably will not catch up with him (unless I take up position on that corner and wait for him to breeze by one day) anytime soon. So prayerfully, he will read this blog, as I pray other young men will as well, and receive the words of the author of this book. Maybe his words will penetrate the areas that mine couldn't.
The author's name is Dr. Larry Crabb. The book is titled, 'The Silence of Adam'. I am transcribing his words from chapter 8, 'Men who Fight the Darkness'. Please consider:
First, then, what do men do when they feel the fear of moving into a situation they have no idea how to handle?
In this world, nobody can avoid the darkness. We are all caught in situations that stump us. And usually those situations involve unexpected problems in our relationships.
God, what have you promised? What can I depend on? What is predictable? What should I do?
That is the first question men ask.
God knows what we should do. Surely he will tell us. And then we realize----the voice was his. He is telling us what to do, but it's not a code. He tells us to be men, to love him, and then to do whatever we think is best.
When it finally draws on us that God is waiting for us to move and to speak into darkness, that his instruction is to choose a direction consistent with what we know of him, then we stop asking the first question. We have to. He simply won't tell us specifically what to do. We begin to face the loneliness of choice, the terror of trust.
That's when the second question arises from parts deep within us, accompanied by a level of fear that leaves us feeling more alone than ever before: "Do I have what it takes to do what God calls a man----a manly man----to do? If I move, will it be with wisdom? Do I have the courage to do something with absolutely no guarantees other than that God's ultimate purposes will be achieved? Am I willing to move into the mystery of relationship with another human being, renouncing all efforts to control the outcome?
If we really choose to enter the unpredictability of relationships, we're not at all sure that we can speak a word of life. And we're not sure if we want people to make their own choices as they relate to us. Can we handle what might happen if people close to us actually were freed?
When God confronts you with a relational situation so confusing and important that you cry out the words "God, I want to be a man. But do I have what it takes?" Then rejoice. You are standing at a gate that opens to the narrow path of true masculine godliness.
It is a gate that few men ever open. And for good reason. No amount of force can open it. The gate never swings open to a man who approaches it with the confidence of one who is used to making things happen. Only a man who has left the sphere of management----one who has fallen prostrate before mystery but desperately longs to enter it----will, in his weakness, be strong enough to open it.
Once we become Christians, our most important decisions are often made in the darkness, with only God's light. We must trust God who often does not tell us exactly what to do. The Spirit more often whispers encouragement ("You can do it. I am with you") than directions ("Now go tell her this"). We must develop a relationship with Christ in which we come to know him well enough to behave like he would, to sense what he would do, what he might say. We must honor our calling to reflect his habit of moving through darkness toward beauty.
I hope this small transcription of Dr. Crabb's writing will spark that light within you, to get you to identify those areas where you know you are lacking or desolate. Continue to search the word of God, daily, and if you can go out and purchase this book. Trust, it will cause you, as a man, to re-evaluate, re-examine, and re-adjust alot of who you are, to begin again as a man that knows he is following behind Christ Jesus. May God Bless you, and may God keep you.
Holla,
Yer Brova Catalyst
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