Good and Dangerous Men
By Pastor Kenny Luck
"We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit,"
II Corinthians 3:18 (NCV)
Men don't give birth but make no mistake about it, God has planted and conceived aspirations within us. They are longings to be great and do something great. Yes, it's that simple, that profound, and that complex all at the same time.
We start dreaming of greatness real early. For me it started with Davy Crockett and a coon-skin hat. Davy soon gave way to Batman and he was eventually knocked off his throne by even more mythical men masquerading as Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburg Steelers, and San Francisco 49ers. I was drawn to these men. But why? These were the early rumblings of my dreams boiling deep within.
Our dreams as men are like volcanic magma. They are deep inside every man, pushing us from within, longing for expression, and when they surface-for better or for worse-they impact everyone in our blast zones.
Our visions of being someone great and doing something great are from God. But because of the losses we suffered, the disappointments of life and the dark side within, our purer and nobler dreams of youth get hijacked. We turn to our work to find validation in our position, title, power or the unique knowledge we hold. The problem with defining ourselves by our work and what we do is that it can disappear but the greatness God intended for us still remains.
Dreams fashioned around a broken sense of manhood and false identities are tough to dislodge from the hearts of men. Most men are unaware that there is an intentional campaign in our culture messing with their destiny. The message is: "You are right on track brother. Put your work first. You deserved it." But you are left scratching your head with this thought: "I have what I thought was the dream but my life is not fulfilled. Is this really the dream?"
At this point the war inside intensifies and the pressure to be great starts to really boil. Most men will do one of two things. The first group will look at their life and not like what they have become so they exchange their present and sad reality for another fantasy that doesn't satisfy: new feelings, new wives, new careers, new bank balances, new toys, etc. and simply repeat their pattern of self destruction. The second group will do the brave thing: they will seek deeper answers. They want to see their greatness erupt-the higher vision and purpose for which they were made. They are eager to really soar like an eagle.
But how? The first step is simple: surrender. We say to ourselves, "It's time to stop fighting, stop resisting, and present ourselves to the prevailing power." God loves you and, is ready to offer you a fresh vision for greatness in your life and it is not what you think. Ready?
"For those he foreknew, he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son," Romans 8:29 (NCV).
God's highest aspiration for you is not something you chase, it's something you become. Our hero complex was not wrong when we were young, simply misplaced. The greatness seeking its expression was put there by God and for God. Sin and earth may have hijacked or distorted your dreams, even brought some pain, but now it's time reengage the dream in its original form, embrace it, and let it out His way.
It's time for an eruption of character in and through your life fashioned after the likeness of Christ-like a volcano releasing the pressure within, vaulting high into the sky for everyone to see, and it will change the landscape of your life significantly upon eruption.
God wants you to fulfill your boyhood destiny, complete with glory and greatness, celebration and elation. His end zone of manhood is Christlikeness. A revealing and reflection of the Son in and through you!
Fear and pride keep your eruption for Christ below the surface. Reject the lie that your dream is better than God's and accept this indestructible truth: "Do not lie to another, since you have put off the old man with his practices and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of his Creator," Colossians 3:9-10 (NCV).
Like Jesus, you were designed to be a good and dangerous man at the same time. That's the magma inside you. That is what every man wants to become whether he is in touch with that or not. So sing his song. Wear his armor. Fight to be like your king. Erupt to the glory of God.
Until next week...
Discussion Questions:
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What is your definition of greatness? And does your life reflect a pursuit of that type of greatness or demand that you become a better man?
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Are you validated as a man through external rewards, recognition and status or internal and spiritual victories?
- What does being "Good and Dangerous" for God look like to you? What are your "if only's"? As in "if only I had more time, money, better marriage, etc.I would be complete and content right now." List them out.