"The great problem of the earth and the great aim of the masculine journey boil down to this: when can you trust a man with power?... the whole history of God and man recounted in the Bible is the story of God wanting to entrust men with his power, and men not being able to handle it."
Think about that for a minute. Really that is what it comes down to. Men are born to lead, at the very least their families, but quite often, businesses, churches and nations. So when can you trust a man with power? In America there are laws for when someone can take office in the federal government. Before someone is made CEO of a company there are things that they have to learn and experience. The same is true of pastoring a church, which is like being the CEO of a non-profit organization. But the question remains, when can men be trusted with power? Just because you reach a certain age doesn't mean you're ready to be an elected voice for the people. And just because you're worked your way up the ladder, paid your dues if you will, doesn't mean you should be put in charge.
Over and over in the Bible we see power abused, or the role of leadership ignored. Too many men haven't been able to handle the power they have been given. That has to change; we were born to be Kings. "My sincere hope is that as we embrace the masculine journey, submit to its lessons, learn again how to initiate men, we shall make good Kings available once more. But before a man is ready to handle power, his character must be forged. It might be said that all masculine initiation is designed to prepare a man to handle power."
How many men you know in leadership would you say have been initiated? My guess is most of them have learned to do one or two things well, what a self-made man really is as we saw in Wild at Heart, and have used those skills to get them where they are. I know I've worked under many like that. But for them power has become about comfort and ease (more on this later). Being a King involves more than just learning what to say, or not to say, and the skills needed to get to the top. It involves a transformation of heart and upright, incorruptible character.
"'His children are not his real, true sons ... until they think like him, feel with him, judge as he judges, are at home with him, and without fear before him because he and they mean the same thing, love the same things, seek the same ends. (Unspoken Sermons)' It is a beautiful work God is up to in a man, perhaps the most beautiful of all his works, and when this has taken deep root in a man's life... when this is true of a man more often than not, then is he ready to become a King. It is a matter of the heart, my brothers."
We've seen before how the heart is our source of strength and passion. We need both of these to rule well. But in order to be able to rule well our strength must be redeemed and our passion purified. We must come to realize that our strength is ours so that we can serve others, and our passion is there to drive us towards our role in Kingdom work. It is only when we become like Christ, and live as Christ, that we are ready to handle power. That is what God is working towards, Christlikeness in us.
Romans 8.28-30, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."
Philippians 1.6, 9-11 "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus... And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
God is working in us to mold us into the image of Christ, the King of kings. The more like Him we become, the more fit we are to rule. The more like Christ we are, the more we selflessly offer our strength to others, the more we passionately live to advance the Kingdom. "God rarely forces a man to do something against his will, because he would far and above prefer that he doesn't have to, that the man wills to do the will of God. 'Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve' (Josh. 24.15 NIV). What God is after is a man so yielded to him, so completely surrendered, that his heart is easily moved by the Spirit of God to the purposes of God. That kind of heart makes for a good king."
"Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God" (Romans 13.1). A King is only put in power by God, and therefore is subject to God. The power he is given is from God, and so how could a man expect to rule well if he is not yielded to God? How does a man make decisions in leadership, does he get an idea and run with it, or does he run it by God in prayer and seek His counsel? Read the Old Testament and look at what the good leaders did. A man cannot rule well, cannot rule to advance the Kingdom, unless he is seeking God's direction.
"Regardless of age, position, or natural abilities, a man is ready to become a King only when his heart is in the right place. Meaning, yielded to God."
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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