This will be the first of a series of posts that will ask and investigate the definition of manhood according to the Bible. I will answer any questions I pose as a comment to each post.
This subject is important because in our western culture today, there is not a common idea to what a man is or should be in society: no common definition. The general population is unable to confidently, without wavering, define what a man should be, even though our media advertises it everywhere we look. Our experiences and our ideas will differ and will then make our definition of "manhood" vary.
First, let's discover what we understand, have been taught, or know about "manhood" outside of the influence of the Bible.
What have you been accustomed to or taught what a man is or does, how should he act and what should he accomplish?
How does our cultural experience define a man in these ways?
If your answers to these questions lean towards a married/family man, what about a single man?
In regards to achievement, what purpose are these worked for?
If any of these things are achieved, then what?
1 comment:
What have you been accustomed to or taught...?
That a man works and provides for his family financially. I really never experienced my dad being more than a guy who worked 6-7 days a week, whether at his job (construction) or even at home "fixing" something around the house or in the yard. In his "down time" he didn't seem to have any hobbies and he was usually drinking when he got home from work or he was drinking when he was working around the house/in the yard.
How does our cultural experience...?
Society tells us that a "real man" is wealthy, has a high-paying "important" job, is popular and likable, has attention all the time, physically and socially attractive.
What about a single man?
Succeeds, strives for success: financially, socially, physically.
Goes to school or works to achieve wealth as fast as possible.
In regards to achievement, what purpose are these worked for?
In a single man, to have freedom to get whatever he wants when he wants it. For a married man, to be able to give his family whatever they want (materialistically) and to retire early and live comfortably.
If any of these things are achieved, then what?
As a single man, to achieve wealth, there is a lot of sacrifice and probably loneliness. He has all this stuff, but nobody has had a chance to know him and maybe, he doesn't even know himself.
As a family man, there is the same sacrifice and worse, he is estranged from his family, and probably by the time he truly "has enough", his kids are older and are going through the same "rat-race" of achievement.
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