Week of Monday August 24 – August 30
Be the Man – Man as Provider
When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in His ways and keeping His statutes, His commandments, His rules, and His testimonies…” —1 Kings 2:1–4 (ESV)
Every leader eventually reaches the day when someone else will carry the responsibility he once bore. Military commanders retire. Pastors hand the baton to younger shepherds. Fathers watch their sons become husbands and fathers themselves. The question is never whether someone will follow you, it is what you will leave behind for them. Will your greatest legacy be your accomplishments, your possessions, or your example?
King David understood that moment had arrived. As he lay on his deathbed, he gathered Solomon to deliver what would become his final recorded words. These were not just random observations from an aging king. No, they were the carefully chosen words of a father who had experienced both the highest victories and the deepest failures of life. David knew what it was to trust God completely as he faced Goliath, and he knew the devastating consequences of yielding to temptation with Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. His counsel to Solomon was forged not only in triumph but also in repentance. He wanted his son to learn from both.
David's charge begins with a command that still speaks powerfully today: "Be strong and show yourself a man." In our culture, those words are often misunderstood. Many define manhood by physical strength, financial success, athletic ability, or personal achievement. David defined it very differently. He immediately explained what it means to "show yourself a man": "Keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in His ways and keeping His statutes, His commandments, His rules, and His testimonies." According to Scripture, real masculinity is demonstrated first and foremost through faithful obedience to God.
That truth is desperately needed today. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins recently observed, "The attack on masculinity is not new. It has been raging for decades. Yet one group has refused to surrender: Bible-believing men. The Apostle Paul's charge to the church in Corinth rings out as clear today as it did two millennia ago: 'Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.'" Biblical manhood has never been about arrogance or domination. It is about courage rooted in conviction and strength expressed through obedience to God.
In my book Man to Man, I make the point that masculinity in America has never been under attack the way it is today. We have reached the point where the term itself is considered toxic or offensive to many. American men are conflicted as to what their role is in society. The answer to that confusion is not found in popular culture but in God's Word. David's timeless definition still stands. A godly man is one who walks with God in alignment with His Word.
As men, we certainly have the responsibility to provide materially for our families. Scripture affirms that responsibility. But David reminds us that our greatest provision is something far more enduring than a paycheck or an inheritance. It is a spiritual legacy. Long after our possessions have been divided and our accomplishments forgotten, our children and grandchildren will remember the kind of men we were. They will remember whether we loved God's Word, whether we kept our promises, whether we led our homes with humility, and whether our faith in God was genuine.
Men, someday someone will follow in your footsteps. Whether you realize it or not, your life is building a legacy every single day. The greatest gift you can provide for the next generation is not simply financial security but a living example of what it means to follow Jesus Christ wholeheartedly. Be the man God has called you to be and leave behind a legacy that points others to Him.
Be the Man – Man as Provider
When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in His ways and keeping His statutes, His commandments, His rules, and His testimonies…” —1 Kings 2:1–4 (ESV)
Every leader eventually reaches the day when someone else will carry the responsibility he once bore. Military commanders retire. Pastors hand the baton to younger shepherds. Fathers watch their sons become husbands and fathers themselves. The question is never whether someone will follow you, it is what you will leave behind for them. Will your greatest legacy be your accomplishments, your possessions, or your example?
King David understood that moment had arrived. As he lay on his deathbed, he gathered Solomon to deliver what would become his final recorded words. These were not just random observations from an aging king. No, they were the carefully chosen words of a father who had experienced both the highest victories and the deepest failures of life. David knew what it was to trust God completely as he faced Goliath, and he knew the devastating consequences of yielding to temptation with Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. His counsel to Solomon was forged not only in triumph but also in repentance. He wanted his son to learn from both.
David's charge begins with a command that still speaks powerfully today: "Be strong and show yourself a man." In our culture, those words are often misunderstood. Many define manhood by physical strength, financial success, athletic ability, or personal achievement. David defined it very differently. He immediately explained what it means to "show yourself a man": "Keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in His ways and keeping His statutes, His commandments, His rules, and His testimonies." According to Scripture, real masculinity is demonstrated first and foremost through faithful obedience to God.
That truth is desperately needed today. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins recently observed, "The attack on masculinity is not new. It has been raging for decades. Yet one group has refused to surrender: Bible-believing men. The Apostle Paul's charge to the church in Corinth rings out as clear today as it did two millennia ago: 'Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.'" Biblical manhood has never been about arrogance or domination. It is about courage rooted in conviction and strength expressed through obedience to God.
In my book Man to Man, I make the point that masculinity in America has never been under attack the way it is today. We have reached the point where the term itself is considered toxic or offensive to many. American men are conflicted as to what their role is in society. The answer to that confusion is not found in popular culture but in God's Word. David's timeless definition still stands. A godly man is one who walks with God in alignment with His Word.
As men, we certainly have the responsibility to provide materially for our families. Scripture affirms that responsibility. But David reminds us that our greatest provision is something far more enduring than a paycheck or an inheritance. It is a spiritual legacy. Long after our possessions have been divided and our accomplishments forgotten, our children and grandchildren will remember the kind of men we were. They will remember whether we loved God's Word, whether we kept our promises, whether we led our homes with humility, and whether our faith in God was genuine.
Men, someday someone will follow in your footsteps. Whether you realize it or not, your life is building a legacy every single day. The greatest gift you can provide for the next generation is not simply financial security but a living example of what it means to follow Jesus Christ wholeheartedly. Be the man God has called you to be and leave behind a legacy that points others to Him.
- If your children or grandchildren followed your example, would they grow into the kind of men and women you pray they will become? What spiritual legacy are you intentionally leaving for the next generation?
- Is there an area of your walk with Christ that needs attention so that your example more closely reflects the man God has called you to be?
- Pray for the Lord to help you be strong, courageous, and obedient, a man who honors Him in every area of life, so that we can leave a legacy of faith in pointing our families and those who follow us to Jesus Christ.