Christian + Man = Paradox?

This post is strictly for the brothas.  Women, you can read it if you like, but it's about time I write something for men!

This is what the world tells us:

Christian + Man = A Paradox.

I mean how can a real baddd man. Be like Jesus?  Be a humble, meek, loving, man.  These values are completely different than what I grew up with.  A real man doesn't back down from nuthin!  A real man takes care of his family and himself.  A real man doesn't let no-one tell him nothin!  A real man does what he wants at all times.

Ok, maybe I'm going a little extreme.  But that's some of the values, albeit exaggerated  that I grew up with.  I grew up with the idea that I had to be Da Man.  Now don't get me wrong, I didn't learn that from my dad, but in the streets, in the schools that's what I saw.  I saw that we were graded upon how many girls numbers we had.  How many fights we've been into.  Basically, we were striving to be Samson (Judges 13-16)  Ya know, the things that are really important.  Just another typical story of an urban born boy.

But then, I grow up and run into this man called Jesus.  Jesus of Nazareth.  Jesus was a smooth operator.  When those Pharisees and Sadducces tried to trick him, Jesus basically told them: "nahhh man,  you can try to trick me, but I'm smarter than youuu."  But here's the kicker, most of the times Jesus did a marvelous, miraculous miracle  he told the healed not to tell anyone what happened (of course they did it anyway).  He was meek in the sense that he wasn't looking for a fight.  He was looking to love people and save them.  He wasn't a Macho Macho Man in the earthly sense however, he fought and died for what he believed in.  The hardest thing for me to wrap my head around is the fact that Jesus was humble and selfless.  He did the will of his father regardless how much it hurt him.  Not my will but thy will be done right?

So how does this translate to the 2012 man?  It's hard.  It's hard to be a man in this day and age.  For me personally, it's hard to be a man of color in this day and age.  I have people around me that all they care about is money.  I have my fellow men of color in the hiphop genre that talk about 1 of 3 things 95% of the time: sex, drugs, or money.  I have the pressure from women to be different...to be different that all my bros that are leaving their women because they can't handle the responsibility   I got my bros that have absolutely no respect for other women while just seeing them as a trophy to obtain.

And ya know, if I'm going to be completely honest, I bought into that lifestyle for a little while.

Thenn, I have the church, (which is mostly filled with Holy Ghost Women) trying to tell me to break from the norm.  Trying to tell me get involved in the church because the kids need more (black) male influences. And don't get me wrong, theres nothing wrong with that, but there's an inherited problem...Where are all my Christian Men at??

You want to know what a real man is?

A real man is a man that loves, protects, and cherishes the ones he cares about.  He doesn't walk out on his responsibilities just because it got tough.  Sure, Jesus complained about the pain and agony he was in.  But when it all was said and done, he got the job done.

A real man knows how to exhibit self control.  Yea there's a lot of temptation out there.  Ya got pretty ladies dressing in skimpy dresses and outfits just begging to be holla'd at.  But ya know, I got to say this: There are things more important than sex.  There's a thing called love (which I, personally am still on the look-out for). I know its tough...but as a man, we gotta be man enough to control that urge inside of us and keep yo' zipper up!

A real man endures.  He doesn't give up.  Regardless if he has the entire world mocking him.  Regardless if he has people calling him a liar, a cheater, a deceiver   He knows in his heart of hearts, that he's doing the right thing.  They mocked Jesus, called him a hypocrite, called him the "King of Jews" and you know what Jesus said to that? "You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."(John 18:37)  I am defined by what the Father sees of me, not by a statistic.  Not by a news article.  Not by a blog.  I am a child of the most high God.  What he views of me is what's important. Real Talk!

Finally, a real man submits.  He knows when he needs help.  He isn't afraid to call for back up.  He's prideful enough to not give up, but he's humble enough to ask for help.  And I don't just mean spiritually.  But I mean physically.  We need the help & support of other men because the world (including the women around us) just do not understand what we go through.  The struggles, the issues that we have.

A real man steps up to the plate.  The church needs us men.  Ladies, I love ya'll, but the church is yearning for men of God to step up.  I get tired, I got annoyed, I get heart broken when I survey the congregation and its over a 2-1 ratio between women and men.  I feel like I'm at Messiah College all over again!  Yes, statistically  there are more women in the world than men.  But I promise you that the world's population is 66% women while 33% men.  So why is it like that (sometimes even worse that that) in our churches? We need to step up and take our places, our roles in the church more seriously.  Women, I love you, you are doing a great job. BUT, we, as men, need to step up and take some responsibility   Not just over our kids, not just over our stuff, but over other people's issues.  It's not about me me me...It's about learning about me and figuring out how I can help you and then helping you!

It is not a paradox to be a Christian Man.  I repeat it's not a paradox!  Jesus was a man's Man.  He got his business done even to the death.  He rarely whined and complained, but handled his responsibility   He didn't shoot up those that he didn't agree with.  He didn't give people black eyes cuz they were lookin at his girl (metaphorically speaking).  He defended himself with words.  Made people look like fools.  When it all came down to it, he accepted his duty in this life.  He submitted to the authority of his Father, he loved and took care of those around him, and he, unlike David, exhibited self-control like none other.

Now let me be honest, I'm not perfect. I don't do all these things well. When I write this blog, I have a mirror in front of my face. But what I do know is that:

Jesus is the Greatest Man I Know.