Masculinity and the Priority of Love
Jeremy Walker asks: “If you were asked to identify the primary quality which defines a true man of God in his specific relation to a true woman of God – distinctively within the marriage relationship – what one-word answer might you give?”
Marriage Proportions
What proportion is marriage? Is 50-50 seems an ideal place to start?
YouGov Poll: Only TWO PER CENT Of Men Aged 18-24 Feel Masculine
This is a UK survey from a few years ago, but I don’t think the situation is any better now. Although the situation is better in the USA, there’s still cause for concern, and we are definitely heading in the same direction. Some of the findings:
- Younger generations of British people don’t see themselves as completely masculine or feminine.
- On a scale of 0-6, where 0 is completely masculine and 6 is completely feminine, only 2% of young men (aged 18-24) define themselves as totally masculine, compared to fully 56% of men over 65.
- American men are much more likely to think of themselves as exclusively masculine. Overall 42% of American men say they are completely masculine, compared to 28% of British men.
- ‘Masculinity’ tends to be seen as a negative word by young men.
- Both young men and young women have a lower opinion of ‘masculinity’ than older people, but young men are harsher critics of the concept than young women.
- Suicide now the biggest killer of men under 50 in Britain.
As for the remedy….
Nine Attributes of a Real Man
Vince Miller writes:
As a man who has been fatherless almost all my life, I have found that defining masculinity is deceptively difficult. I didn’t have someone around to demonstrate true and healthy manhood. My father’s absence has been a source of grief and regret, but this sense of longing has driven me to God for answers, fulfillment, and sonship. He is my one faithful Father, my heavenly one.
He says, “Masculinity finds its definition in God alone — not the world, not culture, not the workplace. Ultimately and completely, masculinity is defined by the God who makes men.” And the primary place we find that definition is in Jesus:
In looking at the life of Jesus, we find countless attributes and commitments that show us how to live as a man faithful to the Father’s call. If you are a man looking for true masculinity, consider whether these nine commitments (among many others) would make a significant impact on your masculinity if actively applied in your role as a leader, employee, husband, father, and son.