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God's Design for MenSample

God's Design for Men

DAY 1 OF 30

Godly Men

When the #MeToo movement began in 2017, women around the world felt a renewed boldness to speak out about how they had been demeaned, harassed, and assaulted by men.

This was an essential and ground-breaking step, as any godly man would surely condemn any woman being treated in these ways.

Around the same time, another term became popular: toxic masculinity.

It suggested that certain unhealthy qualities or behaviors in men were harmful to themselves and others.

Many men felt defensive and resisted the term, and it’s not my intention to debate it here. It’s certainly safe to say that many of the stories of how men were acting were indeed “toxic,” but overall, I find this to be an unhelpful way to approach men and masculinity.

I mostly feel that way because the #MeToo movement called out bad behavior, which is good. Sin should be called out wherever we see it, and where men act badly, we should boldly say they are acting badly.

But the downside was that you can’t make anything better by simply calling out what’s wrong or bad; framing things as “toxic masculinity” gave some the impression that masculinity, in itself, is toxic, and that is not true at all.

Men can’t just constantly hear about what’s bad; they also need a vision for what’s good.

Being told about the worst things that men are capable of is an important conversation, but it doesn’t inspire men to greater things.

What we need is a vision of masculinity that is good, biblical, and Christ-like—God’s ideal design for men, all that He wanted them to be when He created them as men on purpose.

Jesus, the perfect Man, shows us a perfect picture of what masculinity was meant for. God’s Son shows us what men should be aiming at, and God’s Word shows us how to get there.

This 30-day devotional will focus on God’s design for men and what men look like at their best. This is who He made men to be, and who we can be in Him.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the man You have made me to be! I want to be a godly man who does what is right. Help me leave behind anything ungodly in my masculinity and walk in Your ways as Jesus, the perfect Man, did. Amen.

Reflection: What are some “bad” qualities of men you’ve seen in your life or others’? What about some “good” qualities? What is a “good” masculine quality you would like to grow in, and why?

About this Plan

God's Design for Men

The term "toxic masculinity" has been used to call out men's sinful behavior, but it doesn’t inspire men to greater things. We need a vision of masculinity that is good, biblical, and Christ-like—God’s ideal design for men, all that He wanted them to be when He created them as men on purpose. Jesus, the perfect Man, shows us a perfect picture of what masculinity was meant for. God’s Son shows us what men should be aiming at, and God’s Word shows us how to get there in this 30-day devotional! Written by Chris Walker.

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