It was the first night of my son’s initiation into manhood.  We had hiked to the top of Pinnacle Mountain and beyond the boundaries of Table Rock State Park and made camp for the night.  After dinner, we sat by our campfire, and I began to explain to my son the purpose and the content of this process of masculine initiation.

This is the actual knife I presented to one of my sons. Your knife — and your son — may vary

He had persevered and willed himself forward up the steep slope of the mountain, proving that he was equal to the physical challenge of entering the process.  I told him I was proud of him and  to commemorate the start of his initiation, I presented my son with a combat knife.

Although it wasn’t my son’s first knife, let me tell you when you present a nine-year-old with a knife nearly as long as his thigh, you have his full attention.  This was intentional.  As he held the knife and carefully removed it from its sheath, he looked at it solemnly, almost reverently, as I began the lesson:

“Son, this knife is a symbol of your strength as a man.  Now, some people say a man is a dangerous thing — and they’re right.  Some say a knife is a dangerous thing, and they’re also right.  So let’s talk about that.

“What are some good things you can do with that knife?”  Without missing a beat, my son listed an impressive number of worthwhile things a man can do with his knife — including defending others.

“Good,” I said.  “And what are some bad things you could do with a knife?” Immediately, he named several illegal, immoral and unethical things a man could do with a knife — including harming himself or others.

“So,” I asked, “how do we make a knife safe?  Should we grind the edge down to make it dull?  Should we bury it in the backyard and pretend it doesn’t exist?  Or should we hand it over to someone else to use against us?’  “No,” he answered.  “Then how do we make a knife safe?” His answer was perfect: “Keep it sharp.  Keep it clean.  And keep it under your control.”

I explained that his answer is also correct for the proper use of masculine strength.

Keep it sharp

God invested greater physical strength in men, and this is part of how men reflect His image.  A man owes it to God to cultivate the gifts he has received from his Maker.  This includes taking care of his body, his mind and his spirit, but it also includes developing his moral sense and pursuing wisdom, and especially using masculine strength to defend the weak.

To keep your masculine strength sharp is to answer the question of why God gave that strength to you in the first place.  When you understand why, you’ll understand better how. Men have accomplished great good through the proper use of masculine strength.

Keep it clean

Many large and small problems in the world today are from the abuse of masculine strength.  Think of all the misery that results from fatherlessness, for example.  We misuse our masculine strength when we exploit others for our gain — whether in intimidating weaker men, taking liberties with women, or simply being indifferent to the suffering of others.

But the misuse of strength isn’t always an action.  Some men fear their strength or what others will think of them, so they stay on the porch and don’t offer the world anything.  If this is you, consider what the world and those closest to you will lose if you remain inert.  Check your motives and for Heaven’s sake, ACT!

Keep it under control

The power to make decisions and to take responsibility for these decisions and their outcomes is a hallmark of moral agency.  This is one of the big differences between human beings and animals — and also why God held Adam and Eve responsible for eating the forbidden fruit.

Even so, there are too many men walking around blaming others for their poor choices.  A man must recognize the strength he has received from God, value it, build on it, and own it for all it’s worth.  Throughout the New Testament, men are charged with spiritual headship of their families.  This is why I say men are to lead in the arena of relationships.   We will talk more about this, but you cannot lead your family or anyone, if you are constantly handing your strength over to others.

So how about you?  How are you handling your masculine strength?  Add your comments below.

Note: While I’m taking a sabbatical from new posts to work on some longer-term projects, I’m re-posting some of my favorites, like this one.