As a father I often wonder if I do enough to impart proper “manhood” to my son. What I don’t want to do is give him definitions of manhood that will hold him back from being a gospel bearer. I don’t want to instill over exaggerated male bravado nor do I want to sit on the cultural ideas that men should fit into certain personas. It can be so overwhelming. I KNOW that I’m not the only one!

So today this is short and sweet. I found a beautiful charge that David gave to his son Solomon in 1 Kings chapter 2. David was close to the end of his life and this is part of his charge.

1.)When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2.)“I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, 3.) and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4.)that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

I love that his charge about “keeping himself a man” was followed by the “how”… “keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statues, his commandments, his rules and his testimonies.”

While we live under the “new covenant” we can still understand what David is saying… being a man is obeying the Lord.

Good advice for any son or father!

Jess Horne