Preface

It is remarkable to me how easily precious things can be lost. An individual can

quickly lose precious possessions such as innocence, integrity, or a good
reputation. The church can lose precious things, too, and this seems to be
happening today. One ideal we may be losing is that of strong, biblical, and
confident Christian manhood. Not long ago, we were all told to get in touch with
our "feminine side"(as I'll note again later, mine is named Sharon), and this sort
of cultural foolishness has resulted in many men misperceiving what it means to be
a godly man, a loving husband, a good father, and a faithful friend.

This book is written for Christian men who not only don't want to lose that
precious biblical understanding, but who want to live out the calling to true
manliness God has given us. We need to be godly men, and the Bible presents a
Masculine Mandate for us to follow and fulfill. But do we know what it is? My aim
in writing this book is to help men to know and fulfill the Lord's calling as it is
presented so clearly to us in God's Word.

Again, I have little doubt that today's problem with true manliness arises in large
part from a broader problem in the secular culture. So many young men grow up today
without a father-or with a father who is inadequately connected with his sons-that
there is bound to be confusion about masculinity. The secular media bombard us all
with images and models of womanhood and manhood that are simply bogus. Meanwhile,
in growing numbers of evangelical churches, the presence of strong and godly men
seems to have receded in the face of a feminized spirituality. In the affluence of
our postmodern Western society, men typically no longer engage in the kind of
struggle for survival that used to turn boys into men. Yet our families and
churches need strong, masculine Christian men as much-or more-than they ever have.
So how do we revive or recover our threatened masculinity? The place to start, as
always, is in God's Word, with its strong vision and clear teaching on what it
means not just to be male but to be a man of God.

The purpose of this book is to provide straight, clear, and pointed teaching on
what the Bible says to men as men. I write this, not looking down on today's guy-
thankfully, I am neither old enough nor grumpy enough for that yet! -but as a
brother in Christ who believes in the Bible and has had reason (both personal and
pastoral) to search God's Word for guid- ance on manhood. This is a journey I have
been on for quite a while. What does it mean for me to be the Christian man that I
want to be, that my family needs me to be, and that God has made and redeemed me in
Christ to be? For me, the journey has involved a blend of renewal and repentance.
Things that I thought were manly really aren't, and things that God has called me
to do have needed to be done. The result, however, has been both clarity and
calling-and what a blessing these are!

My hope and prayer is that other men and churches can be helped by this tour
through the Bible's teaching on manhood, for the Masculine Mandate to which God
calls us is intended to bear great fruit for His glory in this fallen world. If we
do not seek truth in this matter from God, then something not only precious but
essential will be lost from our churches: biblical models of godly masculinity for
our boys and for male converts to follow, and the manly leadership God has ordained
as intrinsic to the strength and health of His church.

I want to express my thanks to the Session and congregation of Second Presbyterian

Church in Greenville, South Carolina, for their devoted support of my ministry of
God's Word. What a joy it is to preach the Scriptures to such an eager Christian
family! I also thank my many friends at Ligonier Ministries who have partnered with
me in every aspect of this book-especially my editors, Greg Bailey and Kevin Meath,
who have made terrific contributions. Finally, I thank my faithful and loving wife,
Sharon, for her model of godly femininity and the loving support that she so freely
gives to me, along with our five children, who cheerfully endure numerous
sacrifices so that their parents may serve the Lord. To Him be glory.

Part One
UNDERSTANDING OUR MANDATE

Chapter 1
MAN IN THE GARDEN

I think it's not a bad idea to begin this book on masculinity by recalling
something I read in a sports magazine in a barber shop. Not a hair salon-a barber
shop! The article was about the new nonconventional sports, focusing especially on
Moto-X freestyle motocross. These are the sports of people who jump motorcycles
over buildings or hang from the handlebars while somersaulting their bikes fifty
feet in the air. The leading figure in this sport is Brian Deegan, who, it turns
out, recently became a Christian.

In 1997, Deegan formed the Metal Mulisha freestyle motocross team. Over the next
eight years, Deegan and his friends won numerous races and jumping competitions
while establishing their reputation for mayhem, destruction, and violence. Their
lifestyle was emblemized by their tattoos and Nazi symbolism, and focused mainly on
motorcycles, alcohol, drugs, sex, and fighting.

Three things happened to Deegan that led to a radical change. The first was that
his girlfriend became pregnant and insisted on keeping their child. The second was
a failed attempt at a high-speed midair backflip in the 2006 X-Games that nearly
ended Deegan's life and led to months of physical rehabilitation. The third was his
agreement to attend church with his girlfriend. To his surprise, he didn't hate it
and, before long, he had come to saving faith in Jesus. As a result, he married his
girlfriend and quit drinking and drugs; another result was that he invited his
fellow Metal Mulisha bikers to study the Bible with him. One by one, many were born
again to faith in Jesus. "He kept telling us how much the Bible changed his life,"
one recalled. "I felt like I had to listen." Deegan, once the epitome of the angry,
foulmouthed insurrectionist, now sits with a Bible open on his lap and tells sports
journalists that he wants his daughter to be able to look up to his example as a
Christian father.

I have kept up with Deegan from time to time since reading that article. If you
check up on this young Christian, you will find that he has plenty of growth in
godliness still to do, but what is most important is that he knows it. When asked
in one interview about the obvious changes in his lifestyle, Deegan answered with
these immortal words: "I had kids and I have to be a role model to represent to my
kids. .. I had to grow up, had to be a man, had to be a father, and so I did it,
dude" My guess is that as Deegan grows as a Christian, he will learn more and more
that he has not yet "done it, dude." There is plenty of growing up that all
Christian men still need to do. But here is the question that comes to my mind:
once a Brian Deegan realizes God is calling him to be a man, where can a dude like
him find out how?

When it comes to practically every question about God's intentions for men and
women, the answer is almost always the same: go back to the garden. When Jesus was
asked about marriage (Matt. 19: 4-6), He answered from Genesis 2. Likewise, when
Paul was discussing the role of women in relation to men (1 Tim. 2: 11-14), he
found his answers in Genesis 2. The New Testament sees issues of gender and male-
female relationships answered in the opening chapters of the Bible: the basic
teaching on creation in Genesis 1 and the record of God's specific dealing with the
first man and woman in Genesis 2. It is here that we should search for the Bible's
most basic teaching on manhood.
MANHOOD: THE WHO, WHERE, WHAT, AND HOW

Just as we will never understand God's rules for marriage and His calling for
husbands and wives unless we understand Genesis 2, we likewise will never
understand what it means to be a man-single or married-without studying this
vitally important chapter. Genesis 2 tells us four essential things about man: who
man is, where man is, what man is, and how man is to fulfill his calling. This is
obviously very important stuff, essential to an accurate understanding of our
calling as men.

Who We Are: Spiritual Creatures

Genesis 2:7 tells of God's special formation of man: "then the LoRD God formed the
man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and
the man became a living creature." This creation of man is unique in two ways.

First, God made no other creature with such hands-on care. To create the animals,
God simply spoke, and His declaration was enough. But God formed man from the dust,
molding us with fatherly care.

Second, God then breathed into man His own breath-the breath of life eternal. I'm
going to come back to man's creation identity in Chapter 4, but for now we should
realize that this means God made man to be different. We are not just one more kind
of creature among many. Men and women are spiritual creatures. Earlier, the Bible
says that God made man "in his own image"(Gen. 1: 27). Both in our mortal bodies
and in our immortal spirits(that breath of life from God)we have been enabled to
know God and called to bear His image in the created world.

God has given us a spiritual nature so that we may bear His image as His worshipers
and servants. This is who we are as men.

Where God Put Us: Covenant vs. the Wild at Heart Fallacy

The next verse, Genesis 2: 8, tells us important information that is easily

overlooked. Once God made this man into something unique-a spiritual creature-where
on the great globe of the earth did He put him? After all, there was only one Adam,
he could only be in one place, and throughout the process of creation God was
clearly being very intentional in His every action. Certainly the placement of man
would be equally inten- tional. The answer is: "the LoRD God planted a garden in
Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed."

The Garden of Eden is described in the Bible as a small corner of the originally
created world that God had made rich and beautiful. Adam was put in the garden,
along with Eve, with the command to "be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth
and subdue it and have dominion"(Gen. 1:28).

How are we to think of this garden? The garden is the place where God relates
covenantally to his creature man and where God brings the man into covenantal
relationships and obligations. In terms of the Bible's story of man, the garden was
originally where all the action was. Adam was to enter into God's work of creation,
starting in the garden, which he was to cultivate and work so that God's glory
would grow and spread, and the knowledge of God would extend throughout the cosmos.
The where of man, at least prior to Adam's fall into sin (Gen. 3), is the garden-
the God-made realm of covenantal relationships and duties to the glory of the Lord.

At this point, I have the unpleasant duty of correcting some erroneous teaching
that has gained prominence in recent years. Since its publication in 2001, the top
Christian book on manhood has been John Eldredge's Wild at Heart. This book has
become practically a cottage industry, complete with supporting videos, workbooks,
and even a "Field Manual." In my opinion, Wild at Heart gained traction with
Christian men in large part because it calls us to stop being sissies, to cease
trying to get in touch with our "feminine side"(mine is named Sharon), and instead
to embark on an exciting quest to discover our male iden. tity. I can add my hearty
"Amen!" to the idea that Christian men should reject a feminized idea of manhood.
The problem is that the basic approach to masculinity presented in Wild at Heart is
almost precisely opposite from what is really taught in the Bible. For this reason,
this book has, in my opinion, sown much confusion among men seeking a truly
biblical sense of masculinity.

We encounter major errors in Wild at Heart right at the beginning, where Eldredge
discusses Genesis 2: 8: "Eve was created within the lush beauty of Eden's garden.
But Adam, if you'll remember, was created outside the garden, in the wilderness."
Eldredge reasons here that if God "put the man" into the garden, he must have been
made outside the garden. While the Bible does not actually say this, it's
plausible. But even assuming it's true, what are we to make of it? Eldredge makes
an unnecessary and most unhelpful leap of logic, concluding that the "core of a
man's heart is undomesticated," and because we are"wild at heart," our souls must
belong in the wilderness and not in the cultivated garden. That is, Eldredge
assumes and then teaches as a point of doctrine a view of manhood that Scripture
simply does not support.

It's easy to understand how this teaching has appealed to men who labor in office
buildings or feel imprisoned by the obligations of marriage, parenthood, and
civilized society. But there is one thing Eldredge does not notice. God put the man
in the garden. The point of Wild at Heart is that a man finds his identity outside
the garden in wilderness quests. In contrast, the point of Genesis 2: 8 is that God
has put the man into the garden, into the world of covenantal relationships and
duties, in order to gain and act out his God-given identity there. If God intends
men to be wild at heart, how strange that he placed man in the garden, where his
life would be shaped not by self-centered identity quests but by covenantal bonds
and blessings.

What We Are: Lords and Servants

"Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth," God tells Adam and Eve together
(Gen. 1:28). Here we begin to see the what of maleness, namely, that Adam was put
in the garden to be its lord and servant. Adam was to bring glory to God by
devoting himself to bearing God's fruit, starting in the garden and extending
outward to all of creation. For this reason, Adam was God's assistant lord,
exercising authority over creation: "Subdue it and have dominion over the fish of
the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on
the earth'" (Gen.1:28).

This is the calling of mankind as a whole-men and women together-but of males

especially. God placed Adam in a leadership role toward Eve, referring to her as
Adam's "helper" (Gen. 2: 18, 20). God made the woman for Adam, and it was Adam who
named the woman, as he had named all the other creatures, for Adam was the lord of
the garden, serving and representing the Lord his God, who is over all. Adam was
not to devote himself, therefore, to endless quests for his masculine identity, but
he was to be lord and keeper of God's created realm, bringing glory to the Creator
as he sought to bear the image of God in servant faithfulness.

How We Obey God: Work and Keep

Genesis 2: 7-8 tells us who man is, a spiritual creature made so as to know and
glorify God; where man is, placed by God in the heart of the garden that God made;
and what man is, the lord and servant of God's created glory. Finally, by going
forward a handful of verses to Genesis 2: 15, we learn how man is to fulfill his
calling: "The LoRD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it
and keep it."

To work it and keep it: here is the how of biblical masculinity, the mandate of
Scripture for males. It is my mandate in this book, therefore, to seek to specify,
clarify, elaborate, and apply these two verbs to the glorious, God-given, lifelong
project of masculine living:

Work. To work is to labor to make things grow. In subsequent chapters I will

discuss work in terms of nurturing, cultivating, tending, building up, guiding, and
ruling.

Keep. To keep is to protect and to sustain progress already achieved. Later I will
speak of it as guarding, keeping safe, watching over, caring for, and maintaining.

Conceptually there is some overlap between these terms, and in practice acts of
working and keeping frequently inter- mingle. It seems that God was using these two
complementary terms to indicate the package of attitudes and behaviors that would
constitute manhood as He intended it to function. It is helpful, therefore, to see
the Genesis 2:15 "work" and "keep" roles as separate but related. Two words that
serve as good summaries of both terms are service and leadership, modern words that
relate closely to the biblical words servant and lord.

Based on the teaching of Genesis 2, men are to enter into the world God has made as
the men He has made us to be- lords and servants under God's authority-that we
might fulfill our mandate: to work and to keep.

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS

Let me end this chapter by going back to Brian Deegan. The last thing this brother
needs to be told-newly married, with his little baby on his lap, and through his
God-given talent holding a position of influence among his generation-is that God
wants him to look on life as a series of ego-adventures in the wilderness so that
he might find his masculine self. That is precisely what Deegan was doing prior to
becoming a Christian. Indeed, this is what modern and postmodern masculinity has
been all about-men behaving like little boys forever, serving themselves in the
name of self-discovery. (Can we imagine someone like Ronald Reagan or Winston
Churchill talking about going on a quest to find his masculine self? They were too
busy changing the world.)

God has something far more exciting for Brian Deegan, for you, and for me. For it
is in obedience to Scripture that the adventure of a man's life truly begins. God
calls us to bear His image in the real world, in this garden that has become
corrupted by sin but is being redeemed by the power of God's grace in Christ. He
calls us to do this by being leaders and servants in the ultimate cause of
displaying God's glory and bearing the fruit of God's love in real relationships.
That is the Masculine Mandate: to be spiritual men placed in real-world, God-
defined relationships, as lords and servants under God, to bear God's fruit by
serving and leading.

If you think this sounds boring and that you might prefer to pursue wilderness
living on a quest to gratify your own ego, let me encourage you to stick around
through Chapter 5 as we mine more deeply the teaching of Genesis 2. Then, if the
case I will try to make doesn't seem convincing, if you still want to drop out and
live the rest of your life for your own glory, go right ahead. But the rest of us
are going to press on to apply our masculine calling in all of the covenant
relationships of life: marriage, fatherhood, friendship, and church. As we do this,
we will find that pursuing God's simple mandate for men provides clarity and
meaning for our lives-and, yes, adventure too. To live for God's glory, fulfilling
our calling "to work and to keep"with respect to those people and pursuits placedin
our care-this is what it means as men, created for God and placed in the world, to
bear fruit in His name.

I hope you join us.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

How is it different to find your masculine identity in the Bible rather than in a
life of self-serving quests? Why is God's Word a safer guide than our own sub-
jective spiritual experience?

Genesis 2 says that a man's identity includes servant lordship on God's behalf.
What responsibilities has God given you and what authority has He placed into your
hands? How should you act so that God is pleased and His name is praised? Are there
any future responsibilities for which you should be preparing now? How might you do
that?

Why does God want our masculine identity to be forged in the garden rather than out
in the wilderness? Why is it important that men find their calling in God-given
relationships?

Chapter 2
THE MASCULINE MANDATE

I come from a cavalry family, as in horse soldiers. My great-grandfather was a

cavalry scout in the frontier West. My grandfather commanded the Army's last horse
cavalry regiment (in 1938, believe it or not). At that point, our family switched
from horses to tanks, and both my father and I served as tank officers. Suffice it
to say that I possess a fair amount of cavalry paraphernalia. In fact, I am writing
this chapter at a desk beneath a print of a horse cavalryman firing from his
saddle.

Of all the great cavalry movies, none holds a dearer place in my heart than John
Wayne's classic She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. Portraying Captain Nathan Briddles, a
grizzled Civil War veteran who is facing the end of his career, the Duke is a
walking cornucopia of manliness. When I was a young armored cav officer, I not only
watched this movie roughly a thousand times but absorbed much of its ethos. Anyone
who has seen this movie can tell you that Captain Briddles' approach to manliness
can be summed up in two words: Never apologize! Over and over again, he grills his
hapless lieutenants, always with the same emphasis: "Never apologize, Mister!" I am
afraid that I took this counsel a bit too much to heart, with the result that my
early twenties were a little more obnoxious than they needed to be.

When I became a Christian, however, I learned that not every manly saying in John
Wayne movies should be adopted. "Never apologize"may sound great in theory, but in
practice it can combine with a man's sin nature to make him overbearing and
arrogant. As I became more familiar with Scripture, I learned about two different
words that do a far better job of summarizing how a man should live. These are the
two words you read about in Chapter 1, words we will revisit throughout this book:
"work"and "keep."

Taken together, these two words serve as a summary of the Bible's mandate for
masculine behavior. Men are called to be men, fulfilling our calling before God in
this world: "The LoRD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it
and keep it"(Gen. 2: 15). Our calling in life really is this simple (although not
therefore easy): We are to devote ourselves to working/building and
keeping/protecting everything placed into our charge.
What exactly do these two words signify? Let's take a few moments to look more
closely.

WORK: TO CULTIVATE AS A GARDENER

First, let's consider avad, the Hebrew term translated in Genesis 2: 15 as"work."
This is an extremely common word in the Old Testament, and can appear in a verb or
noun form. As a verb, it most often means "work," "serve," "labor,""cultivate," or
"perform acts of worship." As a noun, it usually indicates "servant," "officer," or
"worshiper."Because the context for Genesis 2 is the Garden of Eden, we should
first consider how avad applies in an agricultural sense. Adam was called by God to
till and cultivate the garden so it would grow and bear an abundance of fruit.
Thus, the command to "work"links up with the earlier mandate to "be fruitful... and
fill the earth"(Gen. 1:28).

What does a gardener do to make his garden grow? He tends the garden; he works it.
He plants seeds and prunes branches. He digs and fertilizes. His labor makes living
things strong, beautiful, and lush. As he works, he is able to stand back and see
that he has accomplished good things. There are rows of tall trees, rich fields of
wheat, bountiful vineyards, and colorful beds of flowers.

My favorite summer job in college was working for a landscaper. Every day we would
drive out to a job site-often someone's home-to plant trees, build garden walls,
and put in rows of bushes. It was hard but satisfying work. The thing I liked best
was looking in the mirror as we drove away to see that we had accomplished
something good and growing.

According to the Bible, this kind of work describes one of the two main planks in a
man's calling. Not that men are all literally to work as gardeners. Rather, we are
called to "work" whatever "field" God has given us. Men are to be planters,
builders, and growers. A man's working life is to be spent accomplishing things,
usually as part of a company or other grouping of people. We are to invest our
time, our energies, our ideas, and our passions in bringing good things into being.
A faithful man, then, is one who has devoted himself to cultivating, building, and
growing.

Take a Christian man's professional life, for example. I'm going to address this in
more detail in the next chapter, but for now let's observe that our calling to work
means investing ourselves in accomplishing things of value. Men should be using
their gifts, talents, and experiences to succeed in worthwhile causes that (if they
are married) provide for their families. This can be anything that accomplishes
good. A man can make eyeglasses, do scientific research, or manage a store; the
examples are almost endless. But in each case, our mandate to work means we should
be devoting ourselves to building good things and accomplishing worthwhile results.
There is nothing wrong with a man working simply to earn a wage, but Christians
rightly want their labors to yield more than money for themselves and their
families. Christian men should also desire to cultivate something worthwhile for
the glory of God and the well-being of their fellow men.

Of course, our "garden" includes not merely things but people. Several chapters in
this book focus on relationships, but for now let us simply recognize that men's
calling to cultivate means we are to be involved in the hearts of people placed
under our care-people who work for us, people we teach and mentor, and most
especially our wives and children. A man's fingers should be accustomed to working
in the soil of the human heart-the hearts of those he serves and loves-that he
might accomplish some of the most valuable and important work of this life.

This biblical mandate to work-here with the emphasis on cultivating and tending-
explodes a great misconception regarding gender roles. We have been taught that
women are the main nurturers, while men are to be "strong and silent." But the
Bible calls men to be cultivators, and that includes a significant emphasis on
tending the hearts of those given into our charge.

A husband is called to nurture his wife emotionally and spiritually. This is not a
side show to his calling as a husband but is fundamental and central to his
masculine calling in marriage. Likewise, a father is called to be intentional about
plowing up and nurturing the hearts of his children. Any counselor who has dealt
with childhood issues can tell you that few things are more injurious to a child
than emotional distance from his or her father. There is a reason why so many
people are hung up over their relationship with their fathers: God has given the
primary calling of emotional and spiritual nurture to men, and many of us fail to
do it well.

It is the male arm around the shoulder or pat on the back that God allows to have
the quickest access to the heart of a child or employee. Men who are seeking to
live out the Masculine Mandate will be nurturers.

KEEP: TO PROTECT AS A SWORD-BEARER

The other half of the Masculine Mandate is found in the word keep. Here, the basic
meaning is to "guard"or "protect." This is captured in another common Hebrew word,
shamar, which is translated by such English terms as "watch, "guard, "protecty
"take under custody,"or "exercise care." The word is used of sol. diers, shepherds,
priests, custodians, and government officials. I especially love the way God uses
this word regarding Himself. The Lord frequently states that He guards and keeps
those who trust in Him. In fact, shamar is the idea behind the powerful biblical
image of the Lord as a tower or strong fortress.

Take, for instance, the great words of Psalm 121, which begins: "I lift up my eyes
to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LoRD, who made
heaven and earth"(vv. 1-2). As we continue the psalm, we see that most of the help
God gives us comes in the form of "keeping,"the very same word used of Adam's
calling in Genesis 2: 15. The psalm says, "He will not let your foot be moved; he
who keeps you will not slumber"(Ps. 121: 3). This says that God is watch- ing over
His people so that we will not fall down. "Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither
slumber nor sleep"(Ps. 121: 4). The Lord is always on the job, guarding His people.
The psalm concludes, "The LoRD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
The LorD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and
forevermore"(Ps. 121:7-8).God watches over believers at all times, to protect us
from harm and especially to preserve our immortal souls for Himself. What a
wonderful description of God's keeping ministry. His calling to Christian men is
similar: we are to watch over and keep safe all that the Lord has put under our
care.

This calling to keep rounds out the Masculine Mandate of the Bible. A man is not
only to wield the plow but also to bear the sword. Being God's deputy lord in the
garden, Adam was not only to make it fruitful but also to keep it safe. Likewise,
our basic mandate as Christian men is to cultivate, build, and grow (both things
and people), but also to stand guard so that people and things are kept safe-so
that the fruit of past culti- vating and nurturing is preserved.

To be a man is to stand up and be counted when there is danger or other evil. God
does not desire for men to stand by idly and allow harm, or permit wickedness to
exert itself. Rather, we are called to keep others safe within all the covenant
relationships we enter. In our families, our presence is to make our wives and
children feel secure and at ease. At church, we are to stand for truth and
godliness against the encroachment of worldliness and error. In society, we are to
take our places as men who stand up against evil and who defend the nation from
threat of danger.

WHAT GREATNESS LOOKS LIKE

The rest of this book will apply this Masculine Mandate to the various arenas of
manly life and service: work, home, and the local church. "The LORD God took the
man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it"(Gen. 2:15), and He is
still calling on men to cause good things to grow and to keep precious things safe.
If we reflect a moment, these are the commitments we tend to admire in great men,
and this should not surprise us. Truly great men are servants who give themselves
to a worthy cause and leaders who stand for what is right. Come to think of it,
this is what we admired in all those John Wayne movies. Take away the dumb saying,
"Never apologize," from She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and we see that practically
everything Captain Briddles did fell into the categories of building up or keeping
safe.

If we want to be the men God is calling us to be-men who are rightly admired and
respected by those we love, men who faithfully fulfill our duty before God-then we
will make as our motto and watchword the Masculine Mandate that we as men have
received from God: We will work and keep.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

The author expresses concern that men have been taught to be "strong and silent."
What is wrong with a man being emotionally distant?

How have you benefited from another man's heart-cultivating ministry to you? How
have you felt the lackof it? What are the relationships in which the Lord would
challenge you to be more involved to nurture and cultivate growth?

Genesis 2: 15 shows that men are to be guardian-protectors. What are the threats to
people or thingsunder your care? How should you be thinking about your calling to
keep them safe?

The author states that the Masculine Mandate is"simple, but not easy."Is this a
simple set of ideas? If so, does that make them unimportant? Why is it not easy to
fulfill this mandate, if the ideas are simple? What changes are needed in your life
that you might better embrace the calling God gave to men in the garden?

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# 序言

令人惊讶的是，多么宝贵的事物会轻易丢失。一个人可以迅速失去珍贵的东西，如纯真、正直或良好的名誉。教
会也可能失去宝贵的东西，这似乎正是现今所发生的。我们可能正在失去的一个理想是强大、圣经化、自信的基
督教男子气概。不久前，我们都被告知要接触我们的"女性化一面"（正如我稍后将再次提到的，我的名字叫沙
伦），这种文化的愚蠢已导致许多男性误解了做一个虔诚的男人、一个慈爱的丈夫、一个好父亲和一个忠实朋友
的意义。

这本书是为那些不仅不想失去宝贵的圣经理解，而且希望活出上帝赋予我们的真正男子气概的基督徒男性而写的。
我们需要成为虔诚的男性，圣经为我们呈现了一个男子气概的命令，让我们遵循并实现。但是，我们知道它是什
么吗？我写这本书的目的是帮助男性了解并实现主的呼召，正如上帝在祂的话语中如此清楚地向我们展示的那样。

再次，我几乎可以肯定，如今对真正男子气概的问题在很大程度上源自更广泛的世俗文化问题。如今许多年轻男
性在没有父亲的情况下长大，或者有一个与儿子联系不足的父亲----这必然导致对男性气质的混淆。世俗媒体用
各种关于女性和男性的形象和模型轰炸我们，这些都是根本错误的。与此同时，越来越多的福音派教会中，强大
且虔诚的男性似乎已经在女性化的精神性面前后退。在我们后现代西方社会的富裕中，男性通常不再从事过去将
男孩变成男人的生存斗争。然而，我们的家庭和教会现在比以往任何时候都更需要强壮、男子气概的基督教男性。
那么，我们如何复兴或恢复我们受威胁的男子气概呢？开始的地方，一如既往，是在上帝的话语中，上帝在那里
为我们展示了关于不仅仅是成为男性而是成为上帝男人的清晰教导。

这本书的目的是提供直接、清晰、尖锐的教学，告诉圣经对男性的教导。我写这篇文章，并不是看不起当今的男
性----感谢上帝，我还没有那么老或那么暴躁！----但作为一个相信圣经并有理由（个人和牧师的）在圣经中寻
求关于男性气质的指导的基督弟兄，这是我已经走了很长一段时间的旅程。对我来说，成为我想成为的基督教男
性，我的家庭需要我成为的男性，以及上帝在基督里创造和赎回我的男性，意味着什么？对我来说，这段旅程涉
及了更新与悔改的结合。我曾认为属于男子气概的事物其实并非如此，而上帝召唤我去做的事情则需要去完成。
然而，结果带来了清晰与使命----这是多么大的祝福啊！

我希望并祈祷，通过这次对圣经关于男子气概教导的探索，其他男性和教会能得到帮助，因为上帝召唤我们遵循
的"男性使命"意在这个堕落世界中结出丰盛的果实，为他的荣耀。如果我们不从上帝那里寻求这件事的真理，那
么我们的教会将会失去一些不仅珍贵而且必不可少的东西：为我们的男孩和男性改信者树立的圣经中的敬虔男子
气概典范，以及上帝所设定的，对教会的力量和健康至关重要的男性领导力。

我要对南卡罗来纳州格林维尔第二长老教会的会议和会众表达我的感谢，他们对我传播上帝的话语的事工给予了
忠诚的支持。能向这样一群渴望的基督徒家庭宣讲圣经，真是一种乐趣！我还要感谢在利戈尼尔事工中与我合作
的许多朋友们，他们在这本书的每一个方面都是我的合伙人----特别是我的编辑格雷格·贝利和凯文·米斯，他们
做出了极好的贡献。最后，我感谢我的忠诚而充满爱心的妻子莎伦，感谢她展示的敬虔女性典范和她对我无私的
支持，还有我们的五个孩子，他们欣然承受了许多牺牲，以便他们的父母可以侍奉主。愿荣耀归给他。

# 第一部分 理解我们的使命

## 第一章 伊甸园中的人

我觉得以一件在理发店看到的体育杂志上的事情开始讨论男子气概的书是个不错的主意。注意，那是在理发店，
不是美发沙龙！文章讨论的是新兴的非传统体育项目，特别关注了摩托越野自由式表演。这些运动是些什么活动
呢？人们骑摩托车跳过建筑物，或者在空中翻转摩托车时从车把上悬挂下来，高达五十英尺。这项运动的领军人
物是布莱恩·迪根，他最近成为了一名基督徒。

1997 年，迪根组建了金属民兵自由式摩托车队。在接下来的八年中，迪根和他的朋友们赢得了无数的比赛和跳跃
比赛，同时树立了他们的混乱、破坏和暴力的名声。他们的生活方式以纹身和纳粹象征为标志，主要关注摩托车、
酒精、毒品、性和打斗。

迪根经历了三件事情，这导致了他生活的根本改变。第一件是他的女朋友怀孕并坚持要保留这个孩子。第二件是
2006 年 X 运动会中一次高速空中后空翻的失败尝试，这几乎结束了迪根的生命，并导致他进行了几个月的身体康
复。第三件是他同意和女朋友一起去教堂。令他惊讶的是，他并不讨厌这种经历，不久之后，他就信仰了耶稣。
结果，他与女友结婚，并戒酒戒毒；另一个结果是，他邀请他的金属民兵摩托车队的成员一起研读圣经。一个接
一个，许多人重新信仰了耶稣。一位成员回忆说："他一直告诉我们圣经是如何改变他的生活的，我觉得我必须听
听看。"迪根，曾经是愤怒、脏话连篇的反叛者，现在却坐着，膝上放着一本打开的圣经，告诉体育记者他希望他
的女儿能够以他作为基督教父亲的榜样为傲。

自从读了那篇文章后，我时不时地关注迪根的近况。如果你查看这位年轻基督徒的情况，你会发现他在成圣的道
路上还有很多工作要做，但最重要的是他知道这一点。在一次采访中被问及他生活方式明显变化时，迪根用这些
永恒的话语回答："我有了孩子，我必须成为一个榜样，向我的孩子们展示……我必须长大，必须成为一个男人，
一个父亲，所以我做到了，伙计。"我猜，随着迪根作为基督徒的成长，他将越来越意识到他还没有"做到，伙计"。
所有基督徒男性仍然需要成长的部分还有很多。但这里有一个问题浮现在我的脑海中：一旦像布莱恩·迪根这样的
人意识到上帝在召唤他成为一个男人，他该在哪里找到答案呢？

关于上帝对男人和女人的意图的几乎每一个问题，答案几乎总是相同的：回到伊甸园。当耶稣被问及婚姻问题
（马太福音 19:4-6）时，他从创世纪第二章回答。同样，当保罗讨论女性与男性的角色（提摩太前书 2:11-
14）时，他也在创世纪第二章找到了答案。新约圣经在关于性别和男女关系的问题上，答案都在圣经的开篇章节
找到：创世纪第一章的创造基本教义和上帝与第一对男女的具体交往记录在创世纪第二章。正是在这里，我们应
该寻找圣经关于男子气概的最基本教导。

### 男子气概：谁、在哪里、做什么、如何做

正如我们如果不理解创世纪第二章，就永远无法理解上帝对婚姻的规定以及他对丈夫和妻子的呼召，同样，如果
不研究这一至关重要的章节，我们也永远无法理解成为一个男人----无论是单身还是已婚----意味着什么。创世
纪第二章告诉我们关于男人的四件基本事情：男人是谁，男人在哪里，男人是什么，以及男人如何履行他的使命。
这显然是非常重要的事情，对我们作为男人的使命理解至关重要。

### 我们是谁：灵性生物

创世纪 2:7 描述了上帝对人特殊的造化："那时耶和华上帝用地上的尘土造人，并将生命的气息吹入他的鼻孔，人

就成了活的灵。"人的创造在两个方面是独一无二的。

首先，上帝对其他任何生物都没有如此亲手造就。上帝创造动物，只需说话，他的话语就已足够。但上帝用尘土
塑造了人类，以父亲般的关怀塑造我们。

其次，上帝然后将他自己的呼吸----永生的气息吹入了人。我将在第四章回到人的创造身份，但现在我们应该意
识到这意味着上帝使人与众不同。我们不仅仅是众多生物中的一种。男人和女人是灵性生物。早先，圣经说上帝
按照自己的形象造了人（创 1:27）。无论是我们的凡身之躯还是我们那来自上帝的不朽灵魂（那生命的气息），
我们都被赋予了认识上帝的能力，并被召唤在被造的世界中承载他的形象。

上帝赋予了我们灵性的本质，以便我们作为他的崇拜者和仆人承载他的形象。这就是我们作为男人的本质。

### 上帝安置我们的地方：盟约与野性之心的谬误

接下来的经文，创世纪 2:8，告诉我们一些容易被忽视的重要信息。上帝造了这样一个独特的生物----一个灵性
的生物----他把他放在地球的哪个伟大的角落？毕竟，只有一个亚当，他只能在一个地方，而在创造过程中，上
帝显然在他的每一个行动中都是非常有意图的。无疑，人的放置同样是有意图的。答案是："耶和华上帝在东方的
伊甸园里栽了一个园子，并把他所造的人安置在那里。"

圣经描述伊甸园是最初被创造的世界的一个小角落，上帝使其富饶而美丽。亚当和夏娃被放在园中，受命"生养众
多，遍满地面，治理这地，并管理"（创 1:28）。

我们该如何看待这个园子？园子是上帝与他的造物人建立盟约关系的地方，也是上帝将人带入盟约关系和义务的
地方。从圣经对人的故事来看，园子最初是所有行动的地方。亚当要进入上帝的创造工作，从园子开始，他要耕
种并管理园子，使上帝的荣耀增长并扩散，使对上帝的认识遍及整个宇宙。至少在亚当堕入罪恶之前（创 3），人
的所在地是园子----上帝制定的盟约关系和责任的领域，为了耶和华的荣耀。

此时，我有不愉快的责任来纠正近年来获得了普及的一些错误教导。自 2001 年出版以来，关于男子气概的顶级基

督教书籍一直是约翰·埃尔德里奇的《野性之心》。这本书几乎成了一个小产业，包括配套的视频、工作簿甚至是
一个"现场手册"。我认为，《野性之心》之所以能在基督教男性中获得关注，很大程度上是因为它呼吁我们停止
做懦夫，停止尝试触碰我们的"女性化一面"（我的名字叫莎伦），而是踏上一场激动人心的探索，发现我们的男
性身份。我完全赞同基督教男性应该拒绝女性化的男子气概观念的想法。问题是，《野性之心》中呈现的对男子
气概的基本方法几乎与圣经中真正的教导完全相反。因此，我认为这本书在寻求真正圣经意义上的男子气概的男
性中播下了许多混乱。

在《野性之心》一开始就遇到了重大错误，埃尔德里奇在讨论创世纪 2:8 时说："夏娃是在伊甸园的郁郁葱葱美景

中被创造的。但如果你还记得的话，亚当是在园外的荒野中被创造的。"埃尔德里奇在这里推理说，如果上帝"把
人放进园子"，他必须是在园外被造的。虽然圣经实际上并没有这么说，这看起来是合理的。但即便假设这是真的，
我们该怎么理解呢？埃尔德里奇做出了一个不必要且极为无益的逻辑跳跃，得出结论说："男人心中的核心是未驯
化的"，因为我们"野性之心"，我们的灵魂必须属于荒野而不是被培育的园子。也就是说，埃尔德里奇假设然后将
一种圣经根本不支持的男子气概观点作为教义来教导。

这种教导很容易吸引那些在办公大楼劳动或感觉被婚姻、父母职责和文明社会的义务囚禁的男性。但埃尔德里奇
没有注意到的是一件事：上帝把人放在了园子里。《野性之心》的观点是，一个男人在园子外的荒野探索中找到
他的身份。相比之下，创世纪 2:8 的重点是上帝已经把人放进了园子，进入了盟约关系和责任的世界，以在那里
获得并实践他上帝赋予的身份。如果上帝意图让男人们心中有野性，那么他把人置于园子中，让他的生活不是由
以自我为中心的身份探索来塑造，而是由盟约的纽带和祝福来塑造，这是多么奇怪的安排啊。

### 我们是什么：领主与仆人

"生养众多，遍满地面，"上帝对亚当和夏娃一同说（创 1:28）。在这里，我们开始看到男性身份的本质，即亚当
被放在花园中，成为其领主和仆人。亚当的使命是通过致力于承载上帝的果实，从花园开始向整个创造界扩展，
来将荣耀带给上帝。因此，亚当是上帝的助理领主，在创造界中行使权威："治理它，统治海里的鱼、空中的鸟、
和地上一切行动的生物"（创 1:28）。

这是全人类的呼召----男人和女人一起----但尤其是男性的。上帝将亚当置于领导夏娃的角色中，称她为亚当
的"帮助者"（创 2:18, 20）。上帝为亚当造了女人，是亚当给女人命名，正如他命名所有其他生物一样，因为
亚当是花园的领主，他服务并代表他的上帝----统治一切的主。因此，亚当不应该将自己投身于无休止的男性身
份探索，而应成为上帝创造领域的领主和守护者，通过寻求以仆人的忠诚承载上帝的形象，来为创造者带来荣耀。

### 我们如何顺从上帝：工作与守护

创世纪 2:7-8 告诉我们人是什么，一个被造以认识和荣耀上帝的灵性生物；人在哪里，被上帝放置在他造的花园

的中心；人是什么，上帝创造荣耀的领主和仆人。最后，通过向前看几节到创世纪 2:15，我们学到人如何实现他
的使命："耶和华上帝将人安置在伊甸园中，去耕作守护它。"

耕作和守护：这里是圣经中男性气质的本质，圣经对男性的要求。因此，我的任务是在这本书中，努力明确、阐
述、详细说明并应用这两个动词到荣耀的、上帝赋予的、一生的男性生活项目中：

- 工作。工作是为了让事物成长而劳动。在后续章节中，我将讨论工作的含义，如培养、耕作、照料、建设、引
导和统治。

- 守护。守护是为了保护和维持已经取得的进展。稍后我会将其描述为守卫、保安、监视、照顾和维护。

在概念上，这些术语之间有些重叠，在实践中，工作和守护的行为经常交织在一起。看来上帝使用这两个互补的
术语来指示构成他所意图的男性气质的态度和行为包。因此，看到创世纪 2:15 中的"工作"和"守护"角色作为分
开但相关联是有帮助的。两个作为这些术语良好总结的词是服务和领导，这些现代词与圣经中的仆人和领主词密
切相关。
基于创世纪第二章的教导，男人应当作为上帝所创造的男人进入上帝所造的世界----作为上帝权威下的领主和仆
人----以实现我们的使命：工作和守护。

### 冒险的开始

让我通过回到布莱恩·迪根来结束这一章。这位兄弟最不需要被告知的是----新婚，怀里抱着小宝宝，通过他上
帝赋予的才能在他这一代中拥有影响力----上帝希望他把生活视为一系列在荒野中的自我冒险，以寻找他的男性
自我。这正是迪根成为基督徒之前所做的事情。事实上，这就是现代和后现代男性气概的全部内容----永远像小
男孩一样行为，以自我发现的名义为自己服务。（我们能想象像罗纳德·里根或温斯顿·丘吉尔这样的人谈论寻找
他的男性自我吗？他们忙于改变世界。）

上帝为布莱恩·迪根、你和我准备了更加激动人心的事情。因为顺从圣经，一个男人的生活冒险才真正开始。上帝
呼召我们在真实的世界中承载他的形象，在这个被罪恶腐蚀但通过基督的恩典之力正在被救赎的园中。他呼召我
们通过作为领导者和仆人来展示上帝的荣耀，并在真实关系中结出上帝爱的果实。这就是男性使命：作为上帝之
下的领主和仆人，被放置在真实世界、上帝定义的关系中的灵性男人，通过服务和领导来结出上帝的果实。

如果你觉得这听起来无聊，宁愿选择在荒野中追求满足自己自我的探索，让我鼓励你坚持阅读到第五章，我们将
更深入地挖掘创世纪第二章的教导。然后，如果我将尝试提出的案例看起来不令人信服，如果你仍然想要退出并
为自己的荣耀而生活，那就继续。但我们其他人将继续应用我们的男性使命在生活的所有盟约关系中：婚姻、父
亲、友谊和教会。在这样做的过程中，我们将发现，追求上帝为男性设定的简单使命为我们的生活提供了清晰和
意义----是的，还有冒险。为了上帝的荣耀而生活，实现我们的使命"工作和守护"，关于那些被放在我们照料中
的人和追求----这就是作为上帝所创造、放在世界中的男人，以他的名义结出果实的含义。

我希望你能加入我们。

### 反思和讨论的问题

在圣经中找到你的男性身份与在自我服务的探索中找到有什么不同？为什么上帝的话语比我们自己的主观精神体
验是更安全的向导？

创世纪第二章说，一个男人的身份包括代表上帝的仆人领主。上帝给了你什么责任，赋予了你什么权威？你应该
如何行动，以使上帝感到高兴，他的名得到赞美？有没有你现在应该为未来的责任做准备的？你可以怎样做？

为什么上帝希望我们的男性身份在园中而不是在荒野中锻造？为什么重要的是男人在上帝赋予的关系中找到他们
的使命？

## 第二章 男性使命

我来自一个骑兵家庭，也就是说，马兵。我的曾祖父是西部边疆的骑兵侦察兵。我的祖父指挥过军队中最后一个
马骑兵团（你可能不会相信，那是在 1938 年）。从那时起，我们家族从马匹转向了坦克，我父亲和我都担任过坦
克官兵。可以说，我拥有相当多的骑兵装备。事实上，我正在写这一章的办公桌下挂着一幅骑兵从马鞍上射击的
画。

在所有伟大的骑兵电影中，没有哪部比约翰·韦恩的经典电影《她戴着黄丝带》更让我怀念了。这部电影中，约
翰·韦恩饰演的内森·布里德尔斯上尉是一位经历过内战的老兵，面临着职业生涯的尽头，他是男子气概的化身。
当我还是年轻的装甲骑兵军官时，我不仅看了这部电影大约一千遍，而且深深地吸收了它的精神。任何看过这部
电影的人都会告诉你，布里德尔斯上尉对男子气概的看法可以用两个词来概括：永不道歉！他一次又一次地训斥
他那些倒霉的中尉，总是强调同一个观点："永不道歉，先生！"我恐怕我过于认真地接受了这个建议，结果我的
二十出头有些比必要的更让人讨厌。

然而，当我成为基督徒后，我意识到并不是约翰·韦恩电影中的每一句男子气概的话都应该被采纳。"永不道歉"在
理论上听起来很棒，但实际上它可能与男人的罪恶本性结合，使他变得专横和傲慢。当我对圣经有了更多了解后，
我学到了两个描述男人应如何生活的更好的词。这两个词你在第一章中已经读到，我们将在整本书中反复提
及："工作"和"守护"。

这两个词总结了圣经对男性行为的要求。男人被召唤做男人，在这个世界上实现我们在上帝面前的使命："耶和华
上帝将人安置在伊甸园中，去耕作守护它"（创 2:15）。我们的人生使命就是这么简单（尽管并非因此而容易）：
我们要投身于工作/建设和守护/保护我们负责的一切。

这两个词确切地意味着什么？让我们花几分钟时间更仔细地看看。

### 工作：如园丁一般耕种

首先，让我们考虑希伯来语中的"avad"，在创世纪 2:15 中被翻译为"工作"。这在旧约中是一个极为常见的词，

可以是动词或名词形式。作为动词，它通常意味着"工作"、"服务"、"劳动"、"耕作"或"执行崇拜行为"。作为
名词，它通常表示"仆人"、"官员"或"崇拜者"。因为创世纪 2 章的背景是伊甸园，我们首先应该考虑 avad 在农
业意义上的应用。上帝召唤亚当耕种并培养花园，使其生长并结出丰富的果实。因此，"工作"的命令与早先的"要
结果子……充满地球"的命令相连（创 1:28）。

一个园丁做些什么来让他的花园生长？他照料花园；他耕作它。他种植种子和修剪枝条。他挖掘和施肥。他的劳
动使生命力强、美丽且茂盛。当他工作时，他能够退后一步，看到他已经完成了美好的事物。有高高的树行、丰
富的麦田、硕果累累的葡萄园和五彩缤纷的花坛。

我在大学时最喜欢的暑期工作是为一个园林设计师工作。我们每天驾车前往一个工地----通常是某人的家----种
植树木、建造花园墙和种植灌木行。这是一项艰苦但令人满足的工作。我最喜欢的是，在我们驾车离开时照镜子
看到我们已经完成了一些好的、正在生长的事物。

根据圣经，这种工作描述了男人使命的两个主要方面之一。并不是说所有的男人都应该字面上地作为园丁工作。
相反，我们被召唤去"工作"上帝给我们的任何"领域"。男人应该是种植者、建设者和培养者。一个男人的工作生
活应该用于完成事情，通常作为一个公司或其他人员团体的一部分。我们应该投入我们的时间、精力、想法和激
情来创造好的东西。因此，一个忠诚的男人是一个致力于培养、建设和成长的人。

以一个基督徒男人的职业生活为例。我将在下一章中更详细地讨论这一点，但现在让我们观察到，我们的工作使
命意味着投入自己来完成有价值的事情。男人应该使用他们的天赋、才能和经验在有价值的事业中取得成功，这
些事业（如果他们已婚）为他们的家庭提供支持。这可以是完成任何有益的事情。一个男人可以制造眼镜、进行
科学研究或管理一家商店；例子几乎是无穷无尽的。但在每种情况下，我们的工作使命意味着我们应该致力于建
设好的事物并完成有价值的结果。一个男人仅仅为了挣工资而工作没有错，但基督徒理所应当希望他们的劳动不
仅为自己和家人带来金钱。基督徒男性也应该渴望为上帝的荣耀和他们的同胞的福祉培养一些有价值的东西。

当然，我们的"花园"不仅包括事物，还包括人。这本书的几个章节都专注于关系，但现在让我们简单地认识到，
男人的培养使命意味着我们应该参与到我们负责的人的内心----为我们工作的人，我们教导和指导的人，特别是
我们的妻子和孩子。一个男人的手指应该习惯于在人的心灵的土壤中工作----他所服务和爱的人的心灵----这样
他才能完成这一生中一些最有价值和重要的工作。

这个圣经中的工作使命----这里强调的是耕作和照料----打破了关于性别角色的一个巨大的误解。我们被教导说，
女人是主要的培养者，而男人应该是"坚强和沉默"的。但圣经呼召男人成为培养者，这包括重点照顾我们负责的
人的心灵。

一位丈夫被召唤在情感和精神上滋养他的妻子。这不是他作为丈夫的使命的附属品，而是他在婚姻中的男性使命
的基础和核心。同样，一位父亲被召唤有意识地犁耕和滋养他孩子的心灵。任何处理过童年问题的顾问都可以告
诉你，对一个孩子来说，几乎没有什么比来自他或她的父亲的情感疏远更有害的了。许多人对他们与父亲的关系
感到困扰的原因是：上帝已经将情感和精神滋养的主要使命赋予了男人，而我们中的许多人未能很好地执行这一
使命。

是男性的一只胳膊搭在肩上或轻拍背部，上帝允许这些动作最快地触达一个孩子或雇员的心。寻求实现男性使命
的男人将是培养者。

### 守护：如持剑者一般保护

男性使命的另一半在"守护"这个词中找到。这里的基本含义是"守卫"或"保护"。这在另一个常见的希伯来词
shamar 中体现，该词被翻译为"观察"、"守护"、"保护"、"接受监护"或"行使关怀"。这个词用于士兵、牧羊人、
祭司、管理员和政府官员。我特别喜欢上帝如何使用这个词来描述自己。主经常声明他守护并保护那些信靠他的
人。事实上，shamar 是圣经中将主描述为高塔或坚固堡垒的强大形象背后的想法。

以诗篇 121 的伟大词句为例，它开始说："我向山丘举目。我的帮助从何而来？我的帮助来自造天地的耶和

华"（诗 121:1-2）。当我们继续阅读这篇诗时，我们看到上帝给我们的大部分帮助都以"守护"的形式出现，这
与亚当在创世纪 2:15 中的使命使用了同样的词。诗篇说："他不会让你的脚动摇；守护你的不打盹"（诗
121:3）。这表明上帝在看守他的人，这样我们就不会跌倒。"看哪，守护以色列的既不打盹也不睡觉"（诗
121:4）。主总是在工作，守护他的人。诗篇结束时说："耶和华要保护你免受一切的恶；他要保护你的性命。耶
和华要保护你出入的时候，从现在直到永远"（诗 121:7-8）。上帝随时都在看护信徒，以保护我们免受伤害，
特别是为了保留我们不朽的灵魂给他自己。这是对上帝守护事工的绝妙描述。他对基督徒男性的呼召相似：我们
要监视并保护主交给我们照看的一切。

这种守护的呼召补充了圣经中的男性使命。一个男人不仅要使用犁，还要持剑。作为上帝在园中的代理领主，亚
当不仅要使其结果子，还要保守其安全。同样，作为基督徒男性，我们的基本使命是耕种、建设和成长（包括事
物和人），但也要站岗，以便人和事物得到安全保护----这样，过去耕种和培养的成果就能得到保存。

做一个男人就是在有危险或其他邪恶的时候站出来表态。上帝不希望男人袖手旁观，允许伤害发生，或允许邪恶
施展影响。相反，我们被召唤在我们所有进入的盟约关系中保护他人的安全。在我们的家庭中，我们的存在应该
使我们的妻子和孩子感到安全和舒适。在教会中，我们应该为真理和虔诚站稳脚跟，抵抗世俗化和错误的侵蚀。
在社会中，我们应该作为站出来反对邪恶并保卫国家免受威胁的男人，发挥我们的作用。

### 伟大的样子

这本书的其余部分将把这个男性使命应用到男性生活和服务的各个领域：工作、家庭和当地教会。"耶和华上帝将
人带到伊甸园中，让他耕作并守护它"（创 2:15），他仍在呼召男人促进好事物的成长并保护宝贵的事物的安全。
如果我们稍作反思，这些是我们在伟大男人身上倾向于钦佩的承诺，这并不令人惊讶。真正伟大的男人是为了一
个有价值的事业而奉献自己的仆人，是为正确的事情站出来的领导者。仔细想想，这就是我们在所有那些约翰·韦
恩的电影中所钦佩的。去掉《她戴着黄丝带》中那句愚蠢的"永不道歉"，我们看到几乎所有布里德尔斯上尉所做
的事情都属于建设或保护的范畴。

如果我们想成为上帝呼召我们成为的男人----那些我们所爱的人正确地钦佩和尊重的男人，忠实地履行我们在上
帝面前的职责的男人----那么我们将以我们从上帝那里收到的男性使命为座右铭和口号：我们将工作并守护。

### 反思和讨论的问题
作者表达了对男人被教导成为"坚强和沉默"的担忧。男人情感疏远有什么问题？

你如何从另一个男人对你的心灵培养事工中受益？你感受到了它的缺失吗？主会在哪些关系中挑战你，让你更多
地参与以培养和促进成长？

创世纪 2:15 显示，男人应该是守护者-保护者。对你负责的人或事物有哪些威胁？你应该如何思考你的守护使命，

以保证它们的安全？

作者指出，男性使命"简单，但不容易"。这是一套简单的想法吗？如果是，这是否意味着它们不重要？如果这些
想法很简单，为什么履行这一使命不容易？你的生活中需要什么改变，以便你更好地接受上帝在园中赋予男人的
使命？