Weekend Preview – How To Be A Responsible Man
One of the most disturbing aspects of our modern culture is our resigned expectation that a man, when given his choice, will be irresponsible. That women are the “responsible ones” in life, at home, and even now at work… and FEW MEN actually rise to the occasion to take responsibility for their lives.
Is this just how television and movies portray men in general – or is this the true state of modern manhood? I’m not sure.
I know that in the church, men continue to struggle to engage in worship, misunderstand the importance of closeness/intimacy in their relationship with Jesus as something feminine, and chose to be absent more than present at church functions. Church (Religion/Faith) is often viewed by men as something primarily for those who struggle with life or are weak (often meaning women and children). Small groups are of little interest for most men because it lacks the fundamental elements of what they consider a FUN gathering (beer, food, football/concert/activity). Serving opportunities provide some engagement but most fear it will put them in a situation of sharing their faith with someone (something they are not comfortable doing).
Does the lack of male engagement in the church reflect our culture’s view of men? What could responsibility look like in the modern man?
RESPONSE ABILITY
Regardless of your view on these issues, we need to remember a fundamental truth: We are all ABLE to be responsible for our lives! No matter what comes our way in life, we ALL have the choice of how we will respond. In the absence of responsibility, we resort to rules and regulation to try and control things that we were made to be responsible for.
We were created for responsibility. If you read Genesis 1:27-28
“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
That’s all we were given. Just a few simple statements about what we were responsible for. EVERYTHING! Hahaha…of course, some might say things were “easier” back then, but you try to FILL the EARTH and GOVERN over everything on it and you tell me if that’s a big responsibility or not.
We were given ONLY 1 RULE.
Genesis 2:17 “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
Isn’t this interesting? That when God created MAN he gave him massive responsibility and ONLY 1 RULE.
RULES < RESPONSIBILITY
In the wake of irresponsibility, people resort to thinking more and more RULES are necessary to control people. This is the position of our government. People cannot be responsible, therefore we must have even more rules to regulate behaviors and simulate responsibility. HOWEVER, rules NEVER create responsibility – they are the breeding ground of loopholes, excuses, and blame.
Responsibility is GREATER than rules and regulation. You see this in your family and in your business. The more responsible someone is, the less RULES you need in place to regulate behavior. Responsibility will always deliver the best outcome because it’s what we were DESIGNED FOR.
Join us Sunday as we continue our series “How To Be A Man” discussing the need for men to own their responsibility rather than settle for the cultural acceptance of excuses and blame shifting.