A Few Good Men

Many of you recognize the title of today’s blog as that being the title of the 1992 movie, with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson, others associate the phrase with the United States Marines recruiting effort.   The thought is the same, the marines are looking for a few good men or the marines are a few good men. 

Jesus had a few good men, 12 to be exact.  They were the disciples.  However, He is still looking for “good men”.  Now I realize that today’s blog may alienate some feminists; but bear with me until I finish.  There were no women among the 12 disciples or even the seventy.  There were, however many women followers of Jesus and many are mentioned by name in the New Testament church.  In today’s church, many of the responsibilities, assigned to men in the New Testament church are done by women.  If Jesus were choosing His 12 disciples today, would it include some women?  I don’t think so!  Why then has the church today changed.  I want to suggest or propose a theory.  It is partly due to the lack of “men” in the church today.  I think that in the post- World War II era, women have assumed many responsibilities that God assigned to men.  Motherhood and childrearing is no longer seen as virtuous.  How many little girls aspire to be mothers?  Yes, most women still want to have children; but not be mothers.  By the same token how many little boys want to be fathers?  Most teenagers want sex, but no children. 

If you look around your churches today, the women outnumber men.  Why?  In today’s  society, it is OK to make fun of men.  They are pigs!  They are stupid!  They just want to sit around drinking beer, watching football games and checking out the women.  When they do work, they are workaholics.  Men are no longer needed other than to be sperm donors.  Fathers are not needed.  Even in the church today, men have become passive.  Much of the discussion at church business meetings is done by the women.  They often are the most vocal and emotional.  Is this how God intended?  I don’t think so!

I think that today, many men don’t feel “good” about themselves.  Their self image and self worth has been beat down by today’s culture.  The 12 disciples were just ordinary men.  Nothing super!  Fishermen.  Tax collector.  Not particularly learned.  They were not chosen for their “goodness”.  They were chosen for their “willingness”.  Paul, although not one of the 12, was nevertheless, an apostle.  He was a murderer.  It don’t get much worse that that.

 God is still looking for willing men, men willing to empty them selves and follow him.  Willing to do the work of being “fathers” in the home and in the church.

John, writing to the churches, says:

“I write to you, little children, because the sins have been forgiven you through his name;

¹³I write to you, fathers, because ye have known him who is from the beginning; I write to you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil.

I write to you, little youths, because ye have known the Father:

¹⁴I did write to you, fathers, because ye have known him who is from the beginning; I did write to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God in you doth remain, and ye have overcome the evil.”

I challenge everyone reading this blog, male or female, to look within yourselves.  Men, are you the man God wants you to be?  Are you the leader of your family the way God wants you to be.  Are you the Father and husband God wants you to be?  Are you giving yourself to your family and wife as Christ gave Himself to the Church? Are you honoring your wife? Are you being the spiritual leader of your family in the home?  Are you a spiritual leader in the church? 

Women, are you the woman God wants you to be?  Are you the mother and wife God wants you to be?  Are you lifting up your husband in prayer?  Are you allowing him to be the leader God intended him to be?  Are you creating an environment in the home and church, where he can be the leader God wants him to be?

Men, are you strong in the Lord?  Do you know the Father?  Are you strong in the Word?  Have you overcome evil?  If you have and are, then you are a “good man”.  If not,  repent, accept Christ, recommit and become a “good man”, not your goodness; but His goodness.