Play the Man!

Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good. And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
– 2 Sam. 10:12-13 (KJV)

Today there is an increasing interest in masculinity, manliness, and what it means to be a man. There are blogs on manliness, blogs dedicated to beards and shaving, a resurgence in masculine clothing and consumer products, and of course, football. Men everywhere are looking for role models, inspiration, and examples of what a “real man” looks like.

The book of 2 Samuel tells us a story about Joab, the chief general of King David. The Syrians have created an alliance with the Ammonites, Israel’s neighbor, against Israel. Joab gathers the army and exhorts them to “play the man.” The pep rally works – David’s army destroys 700 Syrian chariots and 40,000 foot soldiers.

But as Christians, we wonder – how do we “play the man” as Christians? Surely manliness is more than knowing a single malt scotch from a single barrel bourbon. Surely it is more than being able to throw a baseball, ride a bull, or calculate pi to fifty decimal places. How do Christian men approach the question?

Interestingly, Paul uses an exhortation that is quite similar to Joab’s. Paul writes to the church at Corinth, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Cor. 16:13-14. But Paul’s exhortation is not to kill our enemies or even to do any specific actions. Paul didn’t tell his men to wear plaid or lift weights or go hunting. No, his exhortation was centered on character.

This is where all kinds of men get it wrong, but especially Christian men. We may not be able to control the vocation God has called us to; we may not be able to control the cards we are dealt. Some of us are crippled; some of us are sickly; some of us are impotent. Some of us are very smart; some of us are very not. Some of us don’t like cigars, and some of us would rather drive a Prius than a monster truck.

But “playing the man” for Christians means faithfully fulfilling our vocations, being strong in our faith, and doing all things in love. That might be a paradigm shift, but we do not war according to the flesh. No matter how strong you are or how prepared you are for the zombie apocalypse – none of that will help you “play the man” in your faith. Rather, it is the heart of a servant, the character to carry on, and an attitude of love that will set you apart as a Christian man. Let us all strive to be watchful, to stand firm in faith, and to do all things in love.

-John