During our training at New Hope Uganda we have been discussing manhood and what it means to truly be a man. We have been challenged to write a vision of manhood and have been revising it throughout the course. Here is my vision:
A
man is someone who walks in and fights for the truth, loves the Lord first and
foremost and upholds his Christian beliefs and values even in the face of
adversity. A man exerts his God given authority, while coming under and
submitting to the ultimate authority of the Lord. A man seeks accountability
from other believers and walks side by side with other men and holds them
accountable in their journey with Jesus Christ.
In
my manhood I want to be a husband who leads my wife closer to the Lord boldly
with confidence, compassion, open communication and understanding. I want to be
aware of her needs both spoken and unspoken and meet her physical, spiritual
and emotional needs by leading her by the hand towards her walk with
Christ. Doing all this while dying to my
selfish flesh and loving her the way Christ loves the church.
In
my manhood I want to be a loving father who enlightens my children and nurtures
them in a way that leads to a relationship with God as their Heavenly Father. I
want to teach them to submit to proper authority, to lead them in a manner that
teaches discipline, obedience, respect, self-control, patience, kindness and
compassion. I want them to reflect Christian values both in my presence and
when away from my watchful eye. I want to lead my boys on a path of Christian
manhood and lead them in their journey to becoming a man of God. I desire to be
a father that honors and protects my daughter and guides her to a path that
leads to Christian womanhood through a journey with her mother towards Jesus
Christ. I desire to lead my children and have a relationship that facilitates
open communication with any situation in their lives. I desire to reflect the
love of Jesus Christ in all aspects of my parenting so that God may be
glorified.
As a
man I want to reflect the light of Christ by being slow to anger, non-judgmental
of others, compassionate and understanding towards my fellow man and not
succumb to the evil influences of this world. To be a man in the eyes of the
Lord I desire to die to myself by not giving into my earthly desires of greed,
self pleasure and earthly possessions. I will strive to be a safe harbor for
those around me, so that women, children and my fellow man feel safe,
confident, comfortable, honored and respected in my presence. I aspire to be a man
that reflects Christ’s love in my thoughts, my words and my actions. As a man I
desire to live a life of repentance because ultimately as a man of flesh I will
fail. I want to take my success and failures to the cross, so that I may live a
life that honors and pleases the Lord in every way and brings glory to His
kingdom.
~Jason Segner
