True Greatness: A Godly Man

Greatness is man’s ambition, but what is greatness? Is it defined in how much we accomplish or how much money we can earn? True greatness is not so much in our wordly accomplishments. It is in how men can be godly and obedient to the Lord. Today’s youth sees fewer and fewer examples of adult men who are following the Lord let alone being actively involved in raising a family. Too often, many of these men are seen as ungodly, immature and irresponsible. There are many men that foolishly believe that their manhood is tied to the ability to father many children, yet there is no commitment to raise them or be responsible for them. The beginning of true manhood is when you acknowledge and take responsibility for your actions. It is important for each and every man to set a godly example to everyone that he comes into contact with. It is also man’s responsibility to engage and challenge other men who don’t understand their role and to not write off a person who is not following the Lord. This is where we begin to see God’s greatness in action in our lives. It is our job to communicate to men that they can be great, and that being a true man is not in how many women they can have and in how many children they can produce. We have to overcome Satan’s lie that has been perpetrated on today’s men, turn them from the ways that are abhorrent to God, and build up our men to move in the right direction. When we isolate ourselves from other men, we hamper the overall development of mankind. Men’s thoughts are sharpened when they genuinely interact with other men (Psalm 27:17). Men have to be moved from a narrow vision of life with the truth of living right and being a respectful human being. It begins with truth. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head–Christ (Ephesians 4:15). The truth helps a man literally grow up and mature. To believe a lie breeds foolishness and destruction. God intended for men to be leaders in our society and in our families…to be great and a great example for others to see. Greatness lies in these two areas: being a humble, servant leader for everyone that you interact with (Luke 22:26-27). Young men need to see great men who are humble and yet willing to serve. Next, we have to mature as adults and put away childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11). There is nothing wrong with having fun, but even in the midst of leisure time, a true man recognizes and follows through with his true priorities. A man who acts and dresses like a child cannot expect to respected as an adult. When a man considers his actions and understands the impact of the decisions that he makes on himself and others, this is an important part of maturity. “Life consists of what a man thinks about all day long” —Ralph Waldo Emerson. For as he thinks within himself, so he is (Psalm 23:7a). Greatness is truly achieved when a man seeks and understands the truth. The truth is not always convenient or acceptable to others, but it should never keep us from doing the right thing. There is also freedom in truth. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32). A man must take inventory of his life and take measure of his level of progress, and be truthful with himself about it (Jeremiah 17:9; Psalm 139:23). This is how we challenge ourselves to get better, progress in our lives, and truly be great men. Our greatness is in our humility in following Jesus Christ, yielding to the Holy Spirit, and being obedient to God’s Word (Matthew 4:19; John 8:12). A great man is a godly man. To all of the fathers, Happy Father’s Day to you!