Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love. – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
Biblical Manhood: Truth and Love
Recently, I had the opportunity to share with a group of Junior High and High School boys on the topic of Biblical manhood. As I prepared for my lesson, this verse from 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 came up in one of my searches. As I meditated on it, I loved the simplicity of it being short and to the point—usually two things you need when sharing with adolescent boys!
As I dwelled on it further, the depth of how it could apply in my own life and the lives of others became evident. I want to share two key takeaways with you that can impact your daily walk and your understanding of Christian strength and love.
1. Prepare Spiritually for the Daily Battle
You and I each fight a daily battle in our personal lives and in our work at ABCS. Too often, we are caught flatfooted for battle because we haven’t prepared and made ready the guard. Maybe we have grown lax in our Bible reading, or perhaps genuine Christian community is not a priority.
It is hard to be vulnerable and accountable to others, so many times our alternative is to shrink away into isolation. We may claim we are involved in our churches because we are there once or twice a week—but are you pursuing active discipleship?
I encourage you today to take stock of where you stand in your relationship with Christ. Are you on guard, ready for the battle? Have you refreshed your soul with genuine worship and pursuit of our Savior so that your faith may be strengthened?
2. Act with Strength, But Always in Love
In today’s world, we are bombarded with extremes: extreme politics (far right vs. far left), extreme examples of parenting (aggressive vs. passive), and even extreme views of our Christian faith (legalism vs. grace without truth). Extremes can quickly lead us astray.
What I love about this verse is how it exhorts the reader to take very clear actions—but always with love. If we are strong to the point of steamrolling others to have our point heard, that is not doing everything in love. On the other hand, if we avoid addressing issues of the heart because we fear offending someone or losing their affection, that is not being courageous and strong.
I believe the Holy Spirit gives us the discernment we need to show love through our actions. But it takes practice. I encourage you not to live on one of the extremes, but to pursue action through love that points others to the hope of Jesus.
—David Trenbeath, Central Region Program Admin
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