Are you ready to Stand Firm and Act Like a Man?

As you wrap up this Bible plan and rediscover what biblical manhood is and how to live it out, remember this: if you have surrendered your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ, your heavenly Father is proud of you.

He is not disappointed in you.

He is not exasperated with you.

He is not annoyed by you.

He loves you perfectly—because when He looks at you, He sees the sinless, spotless, righteous life of His Son, Jesus.

You have been given the imputed righteousness of Christ, which means you are justified. Think of it this way: because of His Son Jesus, God the Father sees you just as if you’d never sinned.

You are not primarily a servant in God’s house or a soldier in His army—the Bible says you are a primarily a son. Sonship is forever. It is given, not earned, and it can’t be lost. Being a son means that when you mess up, you can run to your Father, not from Him. You are not an orphan—and you don’t have to live like one.

The most important thing about you is what you think about when you think about God. So—what do you think when you think about Him? Do you picture a loving Father, an angry judge or an out-of-touch old man in the sky? Do you see Him with arms open, beckoning you to come to Him or with a pointed finger shaking in disapproval?

God is not a reflection of your earthly father—no matter how good or bad your earthly father may be. He is the perfection of what it means to be Father. He was pleased with Jesus simply because He was His Son—and He is pleased with you, because you are His son.

When you bow in surrender to Jesus you bow as an orphan—but then God the Father wraps His arms around you and gives you a new name: son. You are no longer an enemy of God, but an heir who will dwell in His kingdom for eternity. You are valuable because of whose you are, which means you have everything you need to stand firm and act like a man.

What do I do now?

This may sound unusual, but this week, take time to wash your family’s feet and lead them in the Lord’s Supper.

Plan and prepare by getting the necessary elements: a bowl of warm water, a washcloth, grape juice and bread or crackers. Set aside intentional time to gather your family and read Matthew 26:26–29 and John 13:12–17 aloud.

Wash their feet, then lead them in Communion by taking the bread and saying, “This is the body of Christ, broken for you,” and taking the juice and saying, “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.” Then, pray over your family.