Since speaking at our recent men’s IGNITE weekend on “the four faces of a man” (Eagle, Ox, Lion, Man),  I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what it really takes to be a “whole man”. I’ve also just finished reading John Eldridge’s book “The way of the wild heart,” in which he charts the journey of a boy becoming a man, noting the stages as “beloved son”, “cowboy”, “warrior”, “lover”, “king”, and finally the “sage.” Really worth a read and very revealing about some of the reasons why we men struggle so much, and often cant be the “kings” who rule “sacrificially for the benefit of others” in our marriages, families, businesses, churches, etc.  A mans great Question is “do I have what it takes?”  and our greatest fear is the fear of failure, often resulting in passivity, which is mutually exclusive to true manhood.

Here are a few thoughts for your meditation for your journey to manhood:

• “There comes a time in every well constructed son’s life when he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for treasure.” – Mark Twain (so build your life intentionally from the foundations up)
•  “If you are the son of God, then… – the devil (Are you sure whose son you are?)
• “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” – God the Father (The Father wants to say these words to you too)
•  “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”   – Jesus, Matthew 28:18-20 (You were born for a mission, and he is with you all the way, answering your Big Question saying: I am with you my beloved son, and you can do it My son!)
• “If you are a son, then you are also a hier…” – Paul the Apostle