Need for Men of Old.

What did a man used to look like? What was a ‘man of old’? I tell you plainly now – we who call ourselves men today would not have been able to shake the hand of the men of old. They were strong and good men who took pride in themselves and their character while fighting for the right and not accepting the wrong. They were men who knew themselves and their God – and therefore knew what was expected of them. Oh, what joy it would be to simply be in the company of some of these men of old! What has happened to us, men? If a man of old would see our minor attempts at strength and honor today, their eyes would falter with disbelief and disappointment. What would the men of old say about us today, men? Yet through the grace of the Good Lord, this life allows for changes and renewals. So what can we do to gain the respect of these men of old in our lives, men? We can look at the life of a man of old – and then we can change and we can renew.
When people picture men of old, they see an image of a man strong and good. With sweat on his brow and callouses on his hands, he was man who knew how to work. He had clear eyes, a good heart, and he always spoke the truth. There are many other descriptions and characteristics of a man of old – too numerous to account here. But the men of old were all like this. There was respect in being a good man, and they all strived to show themselves worthy of being called a man.
Today our men are soft. We are small. We are lazy. We eagerly lavish pleasures on ourselves as quickly as we deny them to others. We lie to cover our tracks. We deceive to make our lives easier (as if they aren’t easy enough right now…). We sneak around as if we are walking on eggshells and not wanting to be noticed. Oh, how inconvenient it would be if someone noticed that a man was around! They might ask him to do some kind of work or show some kind of courage to help someone!
Yet there is hope. There is always hope in life because life is open for change and God is a life-changing God. We who claim to call ourselves men today can truly get back to what a man really is – a man of old. The men that helped those who were weaker than they. The men of old who could look each other in the eye and shake a strong hand. The men who knew the value of life and love. The men who did good things simply because they were good things and they needed to be done. The men who lived with strength and truth and therefore garnered respect and honor. The men who knew they had to find themselves completely in the Lord – for He is the wellspring of all that is right.
We can make the changes in our lives to be like these men of old. We can regain our strength, renew our vows, and stand tall once again! We can; we need to; and we will.