Boyz II Men

Boyz II Men

What makes a man? Is it his job? His car? The clothes? His height, weight, hair length, race, position, education? His wife? His husband? His mistress? What is the point where this boy becomes a man? Where is that imaginary line? How do we reach that line? Let’s explore.

 First, we need to understand the meaning of some common words that we throw around rather carelessly. Man, Adult, Child, and Mature.

Child - A son or daughter of human beings -A recently born person -One strongly influenced by another or state of affairs

 Man -An adult human being.

Adult -Fully developed and mature human

Mature -Based on a slow careful consideration -Having finally attained a final or desired state -Due for payment or to become due -Ripe for harvest

 Let’s look at children, based on their definition.

Children are offspring, or creations, of other humans. That being so, the child will be like whatever the parents are like. If the parents walk on two legs, so will the child. If the parents speak a certain language, so will the children. If the parents are a certain race, the children will be also. Of course some things will vary, but a child in most cases, will be like whatever created it. Secondly a child is defined as a person that is just born (newborn) or at least someone who is not an adult. Being so, this child is without experience of the world around it, and can be strongly influenced by others or by each experience. It is not until adulthood that a child will not be as easily swayed by these factors.

 So, what is an adult?

 Based on definition, an adult is a fully developed and mature human. To really understand that, we need to understand maturity.

 To be mature is having attained a final or desired state. That means that there is a definite beginning and ending to maturity, and that maturity is something that is consciously sought after, can be measured and certain points, or at least recognized from immaturity. It also means based on a slow, careful consideration. Maturity is not rash, or quick to act. It is deliberate and thought out actions. The last definition for maturity is due for payment, or ripe for harvest. Again, this suggest that maturity is something that anticipated, and has a definite ending.

 So, to go from child to a man, a person must develop and mature into an adult.

How do you do this?

 Does maturity come from the amount of hair on your face or the amount of women in your bed? Does it come from the number of years you live or the amount of money you make? Surely a child does not do the things a man does, so by doing things that are not considered "childish" that would you a man, right?

By the standard the world sets for manhood the answer would be yes. Some may even try and justify it with the Bible by misunderstanding the popular scripture in 1 Corinthians 13:11— “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and made decisions like a child, but when I grew up, I put childish things away.” Toys, army men, video games are childish thing. Money, cars, clothes, sex are things that “men” have. So by putting away that childish thing and picking up these “manly” things, it must mean I have progressed into manhood.

 But if that is the case, why are their so many childish “men”. “Men” that don’t take care of their children, or pay their bills? That doesn’t show slow and careful consideration. Why are there so many “men” that are caught up in gang life, locked in prisons, strung out on drugs or alcohol, or who are constantly sleeping with various women, opening themselves up to disease, heartbreak or death? This doesn’t sound like a desired state, or one that you would want to be final. If death were to fall on these “men” would they be ripe for harvest? Would they be ready to stop their lives where they are and answer for them?

Boys in manly dress and demeanor.

The “men” of this world are not men by definition alone.

So while they fully physically developed, they lack the second requirement for adulthood, maturity. I once had a psychology teacher stated to our class, frequently I might add, that, “You’re not grown, you’re just tall.” Our world is full of tall boys.

There are, however, many great examples of manhood to look towards. Barak Obama, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X. All these were great examples of men who have influenced innumerable people.

Arguably the greatest man I have ever known to walk this earth is the one we call Jesus. And even in His time, men were asking how to be great man.

Jesus had this to say-

 “ 1 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. “ Matthew 18:1-4

Jesus is great at throwing curveballs.

 He said that to become like the greatest of man, you have to become like a child! What does that mean? Well, we know that child is a recently born person of parents that look like him who is strongly influenced by another. He is saying that unless you can leave your idea of “manhood” behind, and everything that comes with them, and become a child of God (looking like Him and being influenced by Him), that you would never reach the heights of being a great man in Heaven, or even get in for that matter.

This is where we get the term ‘re-born” or “born-again”. We must become like children, and learn as a child learns, soaking in all around us. We have to learn to speak His language the way a child learns. We must mimic and follow our Father the way we have followed our parents here, learning his ways, customs, and characteristics. We must become “Children of God”. But, we are not to remain children forever.

Remember 1 Corinthians 13? Even Jesus had to grow from into a man from a child. If we did not grow from children, then we would not be just like the so called “men” of the world.

So how do we grow from children into men? What is the key? It lies in the life of Christ, like so many other answers.

The Bible says—

 “So Jesus grew in both height and in wisdom……” Luke 2:52

 Wisdom is the key to maturity. What is wisdom?

Wisdom - Accumulated learning - Ability to discern inner qualities and relationships - Good Sense - A wise course of action - learning the teachings of the ancient sages (see BIBLE)* *[verbatim from Webster’s]

By doing these things you can grow from a child into a man. Accumulate learning by doing well, not just attending, high school, and college and by learning from the world around you. Gain the ability to know who your friends really are and what your relationships with others, male and female, are really doing to your life. Have good sense in any all situations, and know that everything is allowable but not all things are good for you. ( 1 Corinthians 10:23).

Make the right decisions.

And lastly, read your bibles, and learn from other wise men.

These things will make you wise, and eventually mature.

 Wisdom will make you a man. But first, before you seek wisdom, seek the Messiah.

The bible says that respect and reverence (worship) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ( Proverbs 9:10).

 Become like a child and become a Child of God. Then seek wisdom so that you may mature, and throw aside your childish ways, ripening in the Messiah.

The bible says that-- “This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ” Ephesians 4:13-15

The Messiah  will return for those who are mature. Will you be ripe and ready for the picking?

Da Beast
 September 19.2009


Happy Birthday My Beautiful Daughter, Daddy Loves You and heres praying I be the man and father you need.