How many of us have found ourselves telling our boys to toughen up and act like a man? What does it mean to “act like a man”? While instructing the church, the apostle Paul gives five divine directives of how God expects the believer to act.
I Corinthians 16:13-14 “Be on alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be in love.”
5 Divine Directives
- Be on alert
- Stand firm in the faith
- Act like men
- Be strong
- Let all that you do be done in love
This instruction may not be Paul’s effort to describe “How to act like men”, but the four surrounding instructions offer support and characteristics of what Paul expects the church and gives a picture of what it looks like to “act like men”.
Men stay alert to spiritual dangers that can put their faith in jeopardy. Men stand firm in the faith and diligently support the principles of the faith. Men are strong defenders of the Truth. Real men know how to act in love and be a light that reflects God’s love to others.
So men, let this be a reminder to us. Our faith and our principles are under attack by the world and it is our responsibility to protect ourselves so that we can be the leaders of our families, our church and our communities.