On his deathbed, old and sick, the great king David leaned towards his son, Solomon. Urging him closer, David utters his final words: Be a man.
If you knew your time on earth was over, what would you say? It would definitely be something you thought was absolutely crucial. This is your last chance to make a difference–to better the world before you leave it. What would you say?
David, one of the great men of the Bible, said this:
1 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.
– 2 Kings 2:1-3
This was the most important thing David could have told his son. Be a man. A man of God. We can also learn a lot from what he said.
It is a fact that fatherlessness in America has become an epidemic. Have you seen the statistics? 1/3 of children are living in homes without a father. Kids who don’t have a father in their life are 9x more likely to drop out of school, 5x more likely to commit a crime, and 20x more likely to go to prison. In fact, 94% of people in prison are men, of those men 85% didn’t have a father. (source)
We are seeing a huge decline in our society of what it means to be a man. For most people, a man today means immaturity, selfishness, sexual promiscuity, fear of commitment, and not taking responsibility for the consequences of their actions. It is time for men to step up and put an end to this nonsense. It is time that men to take David’s advice.
Men, be strong. Act like a man, not an overgrown teenager. Walk in obedience to God. Keep His commands. Be the spiritual leader of your family.
A real man holds firm to his convictions, is true to his promises, is faithful to his wife, is loving to his kids, and above all is committed to Jesus.
If one thing can be blamed for the moral decline in our country it is the lack of men who act like men. We need more men to act like men. MAN UP!