Masculinity is a learned behavior; we “act” it out in ways
we are taught or exposed to whether it be via media or family, etc. Some people,
like myself, try to find answers via the Bible. I began wondering how having a
worldly understanding of concepts such as masculinity may or may not match up
to what is explained in the Bible.
Without much thought, I would have said being a man
according to the bible is about being able to provide for one’s family,
heterosexuality, and positivity towards helping those in need. However, after
reading this article, I realize the “masculinity” is deeper than that.
First and foremost, masculinity is based on values so much
deeper than just one’s anatomy. The point is made that “God is the ultimate
example of true masculinity yet the Bible tells us He has no physical body.” It
is something often forgotten or at least easily overlooked. Biology determines
our sex, but gender is one’s own concept of themselves. Therefore, masculinity
and femininity are not constrained to the bonds of sex; the scale is so much
more than just black and white.
Now to continue. The working definition of masculinity
provided in the article is from the book Father
Hunger by Douglas Wilson: “True masculinity is the humble, glad assumption
of God given responsibility.” In other words, being a humble and willing
servant of God’s will is the true measure of one’s masculinity.
Though masculinity is “not just tied to anatomy,” we must
still take into account that males and females are still different. We are
equal in the eyes of God in that we were all created in His image, but we are
biologically different. Taken straight the article: “We have different desires,
different ways of communicating, and different ways of dealing with issues. You
can see this in kids. They do not have to be taught these tendencies, they just
are.” One-way male is biologically different from females is that by nature,
men are cultivators: “God has wired us to take care of things, make them grow
and be productive. This is inherent.”
However, when the natural desire to cultivate becomes too
consumed with the ways and measures of the worldly things, then mans (humans)
focus is not on cultivating to please the will of God but on to please his
fellow human. Money, cars, women become of the measurements of masculinity
instead of what the Bible says. Also, the “fear of being mislabeled or attacked”
is another obstacle one must face when making the decision to be masculine in
the eyes of the world versus the eyes of God.
*the article provides Bible verses to back up some claims
http://biblicalmen.com/what-is-biblical-masculinity/
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