Articles
Mighty Men
“Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom… They took their stand in the midst of the plot and defended it.”
(1 Chronicles 11:10,14)
When the time came to defend David and what was right, these mighty men jumped in with all their hearts. Notice that they gave their king “strong support.” “In ancient times Homer, Virgil, and even the inspired chronicles of Israel celebrated the deeds of mighty men of valor, who possessed the stamina to fight from sunup to sundown and slay their ten thousands” (World Magazine, 5-22-2004, p. 47).
Valiant men pay attention. When we are not focused on Godly things, or accomplishing meaningful growth, we are what the Bible calls “drifting away” (Hebrews 2:1). How do you like the sound of that? Would any of us want our lives to be described as “adrift”? “And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:26). When we allow ourselves to just wander through life or respond passively to situations, we are letting Satan have his way with us. That is the kind of target he loves most! “…To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God…” (Acts 26:18). Christian men need to be admonished to keep their eyes open and wake up from the spiritual daze that grips them. “Awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11).
Strong men have vision. They look to the future, anticipate needs, plan for inevitable pitfalls, and chart a course that will lead the church, their families, and their souls to glory. Having vision means looking ahead instead of always looking back at the past (Philippians 3:13-14).
Men must also be warriors. “Fight the good fight of faith” (2 Timothy 6:12). “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Also see Titus 1:9, 2 Timothy 2:3,9, 1 Timothy 1:3. “A warrior is a protector. Whether he’s stepping on intruding bugs or checking out the sounds that go ‘bump’ in the night. Whether he’s confronting a habitually abusive Little League coach or shining a flashlight into a spooky basement. Whether he is shoveling snow or helping women and children into the last life boat on the Titanic. Men stand tallest when they are protecting and defending. A warrior is one who possesses high moral standards, and holds to high principles. He is willing to live by them, stand for them, spend himself for them, and if necessary die for them” (Tender Warrior, Weber, p. 41).
