God’s Design: Men
Somewhere along the way, we as a society have lost sight of man’s God-given identity—and the responsibilities that come with it.
"Society at large can't make up its mind about men. Having spent the last thirty years redefining masculinity into something more sensitive, safe, manageable, and, well, feminine, it now berates men for not being men. Boys will be boys, they sigh. As though if a man were to truly grow up, he would forsake wilderness and wanderlust and settle down, be at home forever in Aunt Polly's parlor. 'Where are all the real men?' Is regular fare for talk shows and new books. You ask them to be women, I want to say. The result is a gender confusion never experienced at such a wide level in the history of the world. How can a man know he is one when his highest aim is minding his manners?" —John Eldredge
"In all of our boyhood dreams growing up, did we ever dream of becoming a nice guy?” —John Eldredge
Was Jesus nice?
It’s extremely difficult for any man to feel empowered—or to faithfully walk in his God-given identity and responsibility—when society, his family, or even his church pressures him to live from a false identity he was never designed to reflect.
Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV) Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Genesis 2:8 (ESV) And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
Genesis 2:18-22 (ESV) Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” …21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
Adam and Eve were created in the image of God, equally reflecting His heart and nature to the world. But it appears Eve was created in the Garden, surrounded by beauty. While Adam was created outside of the Garden, in the wilderness.
At the core of every man, there are three deep desires:
1. A battle to fight
2. An adventure to live
3. A beauty to rescue
1. A battle to fight
”Aggression is hardwired into your masculine soul.”
Exodus 15:3 (ESV) The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His name.
2. An adventure to live
”Adventure is hardwired into our masculine soul.”
3. A beauty to rescue
“Every man wants a beautiful woman at his side, and every man is willing to do almost anything to win her heart. Think about it, men, if it wasn’t for our Guinevere or Maid Marian, what would we be? Nothing but lonely men, fighting lonely battles.” —John Eldredge
Genesis 2:18 (NLT) It is not good for man to be alone.
Nehemiah 4:14 (NLT) Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for you brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!
Isaiah 62:5 (NIV) As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
“When we trust God’s design, we can experience God’s blessing—even in a broken world.”