Feb 15 Image – True Manhood

Sprite soda had a slogan of “Image is nothing; Thirst is everything.”  I beg to differ with the first part, however.  One need only to walk by your local magazine stands to see that image really is important to us.  Men’s or women’s health magazines show chiseled, athletic bodies; entertainment magazines reveal airbrushed models and celebrities; advertisements, in magazines or on TV, are strategically marketing a particular body image for the world.  I remember growing up, modeling my basketball shot & free throw routine after Michael Jordan’s form; my baseball swing after my 9th grade coach; my pitching like Dave Stewart (Oakland A’s pitcher); and my golf swing like Tiger Woods.  Image matters.

Even though the Church is good at rhetoric, and wouldn’t dare say we want people to look like anything or anyone other than Jesus, our history reveals otherwise.  One of the areas that has been sadly perverted (i.e. led astray/misapplied) is that of true masculinity.  It’s no secret that one of the most oppressive and chauvinistic group of people has been the Church, which has been historically led by men.  I could go into an entire different discussion on the empowerment of women, but that’s not the point of this particular blog.  I’d like to share some thoughts on true manhood.

Our goal is to be “changed into the same image from glory to glory. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18).  We are to become like Christ, individually and corporately.  We are coming from a barbaric past, however.  So our concept of masculinity and manhood is shaped by images of the Gladiator or some other tough hunter and protector-like person.  Now I believe there is a redeemed part of that fighter-nature within each man, and that should be cultivated in a godly way.  But our growth in that area shouldn’t be at the neglect of other areas of our person that deserve equal, and dare I say more, attention.

One of the reasons homosexuality amongst men is a growing issue is that these men have felt pressure from family and/or their culture to fit the hunter/killer image of manhood when those things are not of particular interest to them.  And at the same time, their creative and artistic side has never been celebrated or been given an outlet other than us classifying those gifts as feminine.  So these men end up gravitating towards that “role” or image because that’s the only place they could find acceptance and celebration.

If Christ is our standard, and the Spirit of God produces that image, and the fruit (singular, not plural) of the Spirit is “LOVE, JOY, peace, patience, KINDNESS, goodness, faithfulness, GENTLENESS, self-control,” then true masculinity and manhood ought to bear these characteristics.  The Church has become so homophobic that men in our pews can’t form healthy, intimate relationships with each other, nor healthily celebrate the femininity of our spouses, because we fear “being gay.”  Look at the perversions in our culture of these fruit of the Spirit: LOVE – men lust for women or avoid intimacy with men; JOY – our humor is more coarse jesting and vulgar; KINDNESS – our words are terse and rarely from the heart (genuine); GENTLENESS – tenderness is perceived as a weakness so we aren’t known for being understanding or compassionate with people.

Yes Jesus was a strong man; He carried the cross; He endured scrutiny at its worst; He boldly confronted religious leaders, and on and on.  But He also had a disposition that little kids wanted to be around Him; He wept at His friend Lazarus’ death and over His love for Jerusalem; He was approachable with women in a patriarchal society as Mary sat at His feet.

A true man (or woman) looks like Jesus!  They bear the image of the One and only Son of God.  The Spirit of God within them produces fruit that, at times, contradicts our carnal perception of what we should look like.  Let’s not allow the culture to define us as men.  But instead, let’s allow God Himself to define us.  When He identifies us, we’ve no choice but to produce fruit worthy of our new identity.  It is then inevitable that we will bear the image of Christ.  And THIS is the image of true manhood!

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