"I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one" (1 John 2.12-14).
These verses show us a glimpse of each of the stages of the masculine journey. Becoming Beloved Sons when our sins are forgiven and coming to really know the Father. Cowboys and Warriors who are strong and overcome the enemy. Lovers, Kings, and Sages, who have a deep and intimate relationship with God.
"Let us focus on the young men, whom we see are the Warriors. They are strong (or valiant), the Word of God lives in them, and they have overcome the evil one. That's good. To cultivate this in a young man (and in ourselves as older men), it might help to think along three lines: Bravery, Conviction, and an Epic Story."
These three things are essential for a Warrior. He has to be brave and courageous, it's the only way he'll take any risk at all, and it's the only way he'll survive the battle. A man must have convictions that he lives by, otherwise his life will end up a mess. I read a quote a couple of weeks ago that said, "A man will follow his own convictions to his death, but he'll only follow another man's convictions until he steps in manure." Conviction decides what hills you're willing to die on, and bravery is what enables you to hold your ground on those hills. And all of this is lost without an Epic Story. What need is there for bravery if you aren't living for something bigger than yourself? Where do your convictions come from if this is all there is? For this to make sense, there has to be something bigger involved.
"Raising a young man to be brave is essential. And I may add, there are many types of bravery- physical, emotional, and spiritual... Physical bravery is cultivated in great part by adventure, and sports, by intentionally putting yourself in dangerous situations. As he grows, the adventures of the Cowboy Ranger stage become more serious, and they provide a context for the Warrior to be roused in him." Adventure is essential. If the Cowboy stage is all work and no play, valuable battle preparation is lost.
"Emotional bravery is developed in most cases of physical bravery, for he will have to master fear, but it is also formed when a young man takes risks in relationships. It might mean risking embarrassment by making a speech in front of a class, or running for an office. It might mean risking rejection by making a new friend, or confronting a good friend on some issues. It will require him to leave a party when the kids start doing things they shouldn't be doing. He will need emotional bravery in large measure when he enters into marriage... The important thing in cultivating emotional bravery is helping the boy learn not to quit, teaching him to rise above setbacks and heartbreaks." This is where we learn grit and perseverance. It's where the hard work comes in. You learn to keep going, to keep pressing forward. A couple of the quotes to the left capture this really well.
"Rise and rise again until lambs become lions."
"Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it."
"But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. that's how winning is done!"
A man must develop this perseverance, otherwise he'll give up every time something gets too hard.
"Spiritual bravery is cultivated when we take risks of faith. This is the greatest bravery, as far as I'm concerned... It begins with simple things, like risking to ask God for something in prayer - for if God does not answer, what is the young man to do? He must persevere, hold fast, not give up so easily. He must guard his heart against the Accuser. The breakthrough might come later, or in answer to a different prayer, in a different situation. He must be encouraged to take a stand for his faith. He must be taught to confront the evil one, as Jesus did in the wilderness, and to command him to flee when he is under spiritual attack."
A man must be brave and confident to go before God, and to have the faith to continue to trust God when the answer is "No." or "Not yet." If he knows that he is the Beloved Son, I think that helps tremendously, because though he might not get the answer he was hoping for, he knows that above all the Father loves him and has his best interest at heart. I think the spiritual bravery is the root of both physical and emotional. Knowing who he is in God gives him a confidence to put himself out there emotionally, and enables him to do what is right. Knowing that on the other side of this life is eternal life will give him physical bravery. He won't be afraid to die because he knows the Father is waiting on the other side to welcome him for his service in battle.
"Developing a brave heart comes down to this - wherever the boy is frightened, wherever you see a hesitancy or uncertainty in him, gently take him there, over time, and help him conquer his fear... That's the place you want to lead your son to. And that is the place we want to come to ourselves, as we learn to press through our own fears. I believe it is why God continues to take us into situations that arouse fear in us. The enemy would say we've blown it, or that we've been abandoned; the Father says, 'You can do this - play the man.' This is how courage is developed."
I think of the words God spoke to Joshua as he prepared to lead the people across the Jordan to conquer the Promised Land, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1.6-9).
Be strong and courageous, Warriors of God.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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