Doing nothing is the ultimate failure .
Third , many young men are addicted to trivial things . Our culture encourages young men to play . YouTube , television , and video games — boys today move toward manhood filling their days with fun . Of course , there is nothing wrong with fun — just like there ’ s nothing wrong with having a Twinkie as a snack . But balance is essential . Twinkies are to nutrition what video games are to actual work . They are simplified ( and enjoyable ) imitations of the real thing . It ’ s fine to enjoy them from time to time . But if a young man experiences them out of proper balance — if they keep him from fulfilling his obligations at home , school , or church — he will not develop a taste for the real thing . Too much play will lead him to expect a life of fun , not a life of God-honoring work — not a life filled with the challenges ( and eternal rewards ) of being what God made him to be .
BECOMING A MAN OF ACTION
To grow into godly manhood , young men today need to repent daily of their tendency toward passivity and seek to become the men of action God made them to be . Instead of avoiding decisions , they must learn to act . Of course , they need to make their decisions wisely . They can do that by developing the habit of following four steps . I have adapted these from Kevin DeYoung ’ s book Just Do Something . 2
1 . Read and meditate on Scripture . The Bible is God ’ s Word , given to guide us in the way of wisdom ( Ps . 119:24 ). If a man reads the Bible daily , God will use His Word to direct his decision-making . The Bible will not tell him what college to apply to , what job to take , or what woman to marry . It will , however , teach him what a righteous and holy life looks like . And if he reads Scripture in an attitude of submission and reverence for God , it will — over time — transform his character . He will become a godly man . Godly men tend to make godly decisions .
2 . Seek wise counsel . The book of Proverbs repeatedly exhorts young men to seek advice from wise , experienced people ( Prov . 1:5 ; 15:22 ). If we are eager to seek wise counsel , we will become wise ( Prov . 19:20 ). It is especially important for a young man to seek counsel from people who know him well . When an opportunity for ministry ( or for work or more education ) comes along , it is easy for a man to be fooled regarding his own abilities — even if he is a godly person . He may be timid and , therefore , unaware of his ability to succeed in the opportunity . Or he may be overconfident : He may think he possesses talents he doesn ’ t actually have . But someone who knows him well can give him wise , honest advice . By the way , the people who know you best are usually your parents . Don ’ t hesitate to seek counsel from them .
3 . Pray for God ’ s help . Godly men pray about their decisions . They don ’ t pray that God would write answers in the sky . They instead pray for God to help them understand His Word ( Ps . 119:34 ), that He would direct them to the portions of Scripture that most apply to the decision at hand . They also pray for wisdom ( James 1:5 ). They pray that they would not be misled by wrong information or fail to notice important details . So , for example , if they are buying a used car , they pray that God will give them the wisdom to see the car for what it is — nothing more , nothing less . Finally , they pray for good motives ( Ps . 139:23-24 ), the kind of motives that characterize a godly father . They pray that they will be delivered from selfishness and pride . They also pray that they will act out of love , love for God and love for others .
4 . Act — and don ’ t look back ! The young man who is steeped in Scripture , who has sought wise counsel , who has prayed for wisdom and good motives — that man should not be afraid to take action . In fact , he should make the decisions he wants to make and make them with confidence . He should buy the car , take the job , or get involved in the ministry of his choice . If he has truly prepared himself for godliness , his choice will be godly , and he can expect God ’ s blessing . But once the decision is made , he must stick with it to the end . A real man understands that if God leads him into a decision , He will also lead him through it . When the going gets tough ( and it will ), the godly man prays for grace to be tougher than his opposition so he can keep his promises .
A young man like that is ready to be a man . ■
Dr . Bryan Smith has worked in Christian education for nearly thirty years . He has been a classroom teacher as well as a textbook author . Currently , he serves at BJU Press as the Senior Manager for Biblical Worldview Formation . He and his wife , Becky , have six children .
ENDNOTES 1 . Richard Fry , “ For First Time in Modern Era , Living With Parents Edges Out Other Living Arrangements for 18- to 34-Year-Olds ,” Pew Research Center , May 24 , 2016 , https :// pew research . org / social-trends / 2016 / 05 / 24 / for-first-time-in-modern-era-living-with-parentsedges-out-other-living-arrangements-for-18-to-34-year-olds . 2 . Kevin DeYoung , Just Do Something : A Liberating Approach to Finding God ’ s Will ( Chicago : Moody Publishers , 2009 ), 99-104 .
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