Devotion 8: Man Up

1 Thessalonians 4: 11 - 12
11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

OK - I'm stuck on this scripture - so?

It seems like even Paul tell us to be John Wayne and “Man Up”. Everywhere we go from the time we are little boys someone is telling us to stop crying or toughen up or “take it like a man”. In school, in work, in sports, and yes even from the Bible men are taught to suffer in silence – or think they are. It’s no wonder that we go through life thinking we have to swallow every emotion and never ever let anyone know that we need the help of others.
Well guys, I’m here to tell you that if you live like that – in total isolation – without a support group -you will either whither up and die or explode. Even Jesus needed. Before Golgotha was Gethsemane where Jesus prayed to HIS father for strength and with him at Gethsemane were some friends – his support group, his guys.
There’s a difference between what Paul is saying and being alone. Paul is telling us to take care of ourselves and be an example – for the glory of God – so that others, the “outsiders”, will respect us. I think if we look at all of Paul’s teaching we’ll see that he ALSO wants us to be part of the community of believers, what we today call our Christian family, and lift each other up. Remember, Paul’s letter is to the church, not just one man. We get through this together as men – the good times and the bad. Today I lift you up, tomorrow you lift me up and the next day we lift up another –all for the glory of God.