Interesting. Popular Mechanics just ran an article titled 25 Skills Every Man Should Know: The List, Ready for Your Debate. Not sure why that isn't "sexist" all by itself; I'm sure someone will complain.
Here's some of it:
1. Patch a radiator hose...By that list, I'm not much of a man. It did start me thinking. What would be a Biblical list of traits that every man should have?
4. Frame a wall...
8. Fix a dead outlet...
18. Mix concrete [maybe if I read the instructions]
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle
20. Change oil and filter
21. Hook up an HDTV
22. Bleed brakes
It would have to feature commitments such as loving God (Deuteronomy 6:5), loving His Word (Deuteronomy 6:6), transmitting His Word to the family (Deuteronomy 6:6ff.), loving his wife as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25f.)....
What else?
Discuss.
56 comments:
Husband of one wife, sober-minded, faithful to what has been taught, square finances, acts in accordance with healthy doctrine.
Like that.
Frank:
square dances
Please don't give my husband any bad ideas.
Willing to lead, willing to accept correction (however it may come)
Willing to take responsibility for his family.
Somehow, even though I fall way short of the Popular Mechanics list, it seems far more attainable than the list we've begun here...God help me (and my family)
From a purely material standpoint, I like the list, even though I've never even tried to patch a radiator hose. Count on me to simply tell the shop to fix it and bill me when it starts to crack instead. :^) Same thing with adjusting the brakes. Why not prevent the problem instead of fixing it?
But from a spiritual perspective, what about getting to know a person and reach out to him for Christ? How to pray and apply the Scriptures to his life? When to step into a situation where a fellow human being is being abused?
What the comments are addressing already are qualities, not skills, and for the Christian man that is where he must start. Being a man of God is not about having skills, but being skilled in the things of the Lord.
Since the greatest things we can and should do is love God, love one another as Christ has love us, and love our neighbor as ourself then we should first concentrate on fully developing the attributes and attitudes of love as given in I Corinthians 13. Then we would be able to walk in love as we are commanded in Ephesians 5:1-2.
Watching our lives so that we can mature in the fruit of the Spirit as given in Galatians 5 so that each element of the Sprit's fruit in our lives is evident would be another way to be skilled in the things of the Lord. For when we walk in the Spirit we will not give in to the desires of the flesh.
Finally, following Peter's command in II Peter 1 to apply all diligence in our faith and in our faith to supply moral excellence, and in our moral excellence, knowledge; and in our knowledge, self-control; and in our self-control, perserverance; and in our perserverance, Godliness; and in our Godliness, brotherly kindness; and in our brotherly kindness, agape would render use useful and fruitful in the things of the Lord.
Maybe if men who call themselves Christians would start working on and focusing on developing these qualities in themselves we would have a church and families that are led by men.
Able to correctly handle the Word of God...
...discerning...
Good point, Morris. I took "skills" in the broader sense of traits or attributes.
How about being "ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features"? ;-)
Warsh dishes and do laundry.
Change a diaper.
Fred is one smart man!
How about humility?
It is one thing to be correct in one's doctrine, and another to be palatably correct.
Treat older men and women as fathers and mothers; younger men and women as brothers and sisters (1 Timothy 5:1-2).
Honour godly widows (1 Timothy 5:3-6).
Love your wife as a godly husband, regardless of whether she is a believer or unbeliever (1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:25-33; 1 Peter 3:1,7).
Daniel: Like, er, humble orthodoxy? (A wink and a nod at Dan.)
Stefan-
Nice one! I think it is safe to say that God's social security plan is different than the manmade variety.
As far as skills...I'll say time management.
Discernment, wisdom, understanding.
Love his family sacrificially.
Love God even more.
Hey, I'm just quoting (er, paraphrasing) Scripture!
But I like Chris's formulation for its succinctness—that's great!
The one skill we should all have as men is praying.
And being able to share our testimony and the Gospel.
And "Clean a bolt-action rifle", of course.
I think of walking by the spirit in Galatians...love, joy, peace, patience, kindess, goodness, faithfulness and self control.
of course I forgot one...gentleness!
Be willing to take the heat for the family, when confronting spiritual confusion and doctrinal deceit. That's a good skill for us here in The Apostasy.
The transmitting and loving you mentioned were spot on Dan. Plus, I think being the overall shock absorber and lightening rod for the spiritual health of the family make knowing things like figuring finances and drywalling look like an overflow of the true mission of a biblical dad. The latter things tend to look like accidents when you get them right without the bedrock of Christ and his Word.
Here's one skill every man must have: he must be able to remember the last seven or eight words his wife has spoken, so that when he zones out, and she says, "Honey, are you listening?" he can respons appropriately.
Basic skills? To be able to articulate the gospel. To do that you first have to be clear about it in your own thinking.
But ... aren't these "skills" or "traits" that all Christians should have, not just "men"? Okay, the husband references are male-exclusive, but so many of the others. What would we consider biblical skills and qualities of a male?
A few that seem to be missing from the great ongoing list: compassion, is merciful as He is merciful (Luke 6:35), quick to listen - slow to speak, and patient.
Ok, skills, traits or both?
Man, I wish I had a bolt action rifle! Brother Don, maybe if we find occasion to hang out, you can teach me to hit some targets and clean it, 'kay?
A good skill for a man of God would be to know how to discipline his children. Prov. 22:15; 23:13 & Heb. 12:7-9.
Oh, and how 'bout putting a good edge on a knife? I can do that.
Since we're talking about manly skills, rest assured that despite my former user name ("Sewing"), I can't sew.
You've inspired me, Dan. I'm going to order a copy of Become a Better You right now!
Um, Wild at Heart?
oh wait, you said biblely traits.
What's a radiator hose?
Be able to share the Gospel message biblically and effectively.
But, I liked Sewing, I just was confused by the skills thing and did't realize it was a compound name.
Worry...! Now that the list is growing,growing, gone... maybe...content in what ever circumstance.... pass the Zoloft...
Really, the law breaks us of that need to be cut after another. How dare Paul say that, because after all he couldn't live it. But it is truth, so love justice, mercy and walk humbly. When we compare ourselves with the ideal, we lose. But it is "Follow me...Are you able to drink...you can't now, but you will....
Hebrews eleven defines a "man of faith," and those Joes were, well you know Abraham couldn't control his wife, but loved her anyway, David was well, not so dedicated to right parenting or husbandry, neither was his son. Samuel, well he was no better a father than Eli, Samson, holy flaming foxes badman...and we could go on and on.
All the admonitions that have been listed are approved of by Scripture, and I will leave one more. He who has been forgiven much loves much so, be quick to forgive....
Not to mention Jephthah. There could be a lot of good exegesis on Hebrews 11 on how God uses us in spite of our sinfulness.
heather_in_wi:
Well, Dan and I didn;t want to brag, and didnt want to embarass pasty-faced Phil ...
So we're talking skills here? Hmmm. Napoleon Dynamite comes to mind. "You know, nunchuk skills, bo staff skills, computer hacking skills."
Here's where my thoughts went on this. All Christian men (and women) are to be known by their character traits as many have said here. Godly, Biblically-founded character is the root of all other attributes of a Christian's life. So therefore, I would say that all skills that a Christian man possesses, regardless of what they may be (related to spiritual things or secular things), should be redeemed by the Spirit of God and employed in a sanctified manner in the man's life, for the glory of Christ.
Whatever you do in word or deed [e.g. whatever skills you have and are putting to use], do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:17)
It took me 53 years to come to the realization that "real men love Jesus." I never got that from reading bumper stickers because it didn't make sense then. Real men are made from real conversions - take it from a former builder.
A real man would lay down his life for his family.
Psalm 82
1God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
2How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
3Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
5They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
6I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
7But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
8Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
How about applying all diligence in your faith supply moral excellence, knowledge of the Word, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love, hospitality....
Q: What makes a man, Mr Lebowski? Is it. . . is it, being prepared to do the right thing? Whatever the price? Isn't that what makes a man?
A: Sure. That and a pair of ****
- The Big Lebowski
(censored for my weaker, Baptist, brethren)
I used to cuss and enjoy movies like the Big Lebowski; then something awesome happened...I was saved!
I did not realize that the renewing of your mind and becoming a new creature was considered "weak".
1 Peter 3:7 - Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
It is a thing we must continue to learn and therefore a skill, and every man who has not been given the gift of celibacy must deal with this, and learn how to do it more completely over a lifetime...
A woman is more complex than any internal combustion engine ever designed...praise His name...
Huh. As a woman, I've never been compared to an internal combustion machine..
..er wait.
;d
Me? Well, I bleed my brakes using a bolt-action rifle.
Warning,
Do not try to fix outlets that that only appear to be dead - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
How about good running skills?
Genesis 39:11-12
One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
Good point Pedro. The will, and the ability.
A man should be able to get up out of bed every morning in spite of knowing that he will be kicked in the shins all the day long by this world and his sin and then be expected to smile and be loving and all that.
"Chicks dig guys with skills...You know, like nunchuck skills, bowhunting skills, computer hacking skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills."
Not be conformed to what comes through the HDTV that he should be able to install.
Many good ideas here - I can hardly add to what's been written. I just posted something yesterday about real men knowing how to commit. Women should know this, too, but I'll offer it up as something that every man should be able to do anyway.
Real men know how to submit to the Lord and be obedient to His perfect will in their lives. The ONE skill we should possess is a servant mentality towards the Lord and His word, IMHO.
Rob
After this post has been up here all week, I'm a little disturbed that "crushing beer cans on his furrowed brow" is not on anybody's list.
Something I've always admired in my mentors is the ability to lead in prayer. Nothing fancy, but to always be ready to pray within the will of God and with a prayer that reflects an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and His church.
...my nephew (4yrs) says the ability to do armpit farts should be standard as well.
I think it's taken as assumed, Frank.
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