(Pro) 31:3-4, 6, 8-9 CJB “Don’t give your strength to women or your ways to that which destroys kings. It is not for kings, L’mu’el, not for kings to drink wine; it is not for rulers to ask, “Where can I find strong liquor?” Give strong liquor to one who is perishing, wine to the deeply depressed; Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves, for the rights of all who need an advocate. Speak up, judge righteously, defend the cause of the poor and the needy.”

Biblical manhood is desperately needed because men today receive conflicting messages about who they should be and what they should do. That confusion is one reason I wrote MAN Up! A Guide to Restoring Biblical Manhood. Men need a God-directed path that leads to a life that is full, meaningful, fruitful, and ultimately pleasing to the God before whom every man will someday give an account.

Interestingly, the final chapter of Proverbs begins by telling a man both what not to pursue and what he should pursue.

The contrast is powerful.

Biblical Manhood Is Not About Chasing Pleasure

King L’mu’el is warned about two powerful appetites: women and strong drink.

“Don’t give your strength to women.”

“It is not for kings to drink wine.”

The warning is not against marriage, women, or every use of wine. The warning concerns appetites that master a man, consume his strength, compromise his judgment, and distract him from his responsibilities.

How relevant is that today?

Men still surrender enormous amounts of strength to sexual sin through fornication, adultery, pornography, and lust. Others surrender themselves to drunkenness, drugs, or other means of altering their minds and escaping reality.

The common denominator is self-gratification.

A man can spend his life asking, What will make me feel good? What will satisfy me? What will help me escape?

But God calls a man to a better question:

What will please God?

Jesus modeled this perfectly. He said of His Father, “I always do what pleases him” (John 8:29 CJB). The Father, in turn, declared His delight in His Son: “This is my Son, whom I love; I am well pleased with him” (Matthew 3:17 CJB).

That is the life a Christian man should want.

Use Your Strength for Those Who Have None

Proverbs doesn’t merely tell the king what to avoid. It tells him where his strength should go.

“Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves.”

“Defend the cause of the poor and the needy.”

Instead of using his strength to satisfy himself, a godly man uses his strength for others.

He protects.

He provides.

He advocates.

He serves.

He accepts responsibility.

For Christian men, that certainly includes defending unborn human life. Few people are more literally voiceless or physically powerless than a child developing in the womb. But the principle extends further. Biblical manhood uses whatever strength, authority, influence, resources, and opportunities God provides to pursue righteousness and help those unable to defend themselves.

God did not give you strength merely so you could enjoy yourself.

He gave you strength so you could use it for His glory and the good of others.

The Man Who Pleases God Finds His Purpose

God’s goal is to conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

Think of Jesus in terms of character, commitment, and commission.

His character was perfect.

His commitment to obeying His Father was absolute.

His commission governed His life—He finished the work the Father gave Him to do.

That gives us a tremendous picture of biblical manhood.

The man of God isn’t primarily a pleasure seeker. He is a God pleaser.

Ironically, when a man stops making his own happiness the goal of his life, he discovers something far better. Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25).

Give your life to Christ.

Give your strength to His purposes.

Use what God has entrusted to you to protect, provide, serve, lead, and defend.

You may discover that the life you were trying so hard to find through pleasure was waiting for you in obedience all along.

RUN TODAY’S PLAY

Ask yourself where are you currently spending strength that God wants you to use for His purposes?

Then, dentify one appetite or pleasure that is taking more of your time, energy, money, or attention than it deserves.

Use some of that strength today to serve, protect, encourage, provide for, or advocate for someone else.

Read my book MAN Up! Even better, invite a brother to go through it with you.

Don’t waste your God-given strength satisfying yourself. Spend it doing what pleases God.