“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1 Corinthians 13:11).
Masculinity is leaving childishness behind. It is also leaving youth behind. Ecclesiastes 11:10 says, “Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.”. The word vanity means “emptiness” or “meaninglessness”. Masculinity, thus, is moving toward manhood when a man understands the purpose of his existence, to please and serve God, and embraces it. Purpose replaces meaninglessness. Fulfillment replaces emptiness. This maturity changes a man in a threefold manner according to the verse we opened this chapter with.
Speech - “I spake as a child” becomes “ I speak like a man”. That means respectable, honorable, meaningful, eternal, gracious, and wise. He does not waste his words on vain subjects. He leaves behind empty conversations about the weather, sports, gossip, complaint, foolishness, profanity, jealousy, and slight and grows up. He recognizes the power of words and makes each one count.
The Bible is full of instructions on mature speech. Consider just a few verses:
“Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.” (Psalm 45:2).
“The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life:” (Proverbs 10:11a).
“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Colossians 4:6).
“The lips of the righteous feed many:” (Proverbs 10:21a).
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Proverbs 18:21).
Understanding - “I understood as a child” becomes “I understand like a man.” “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.” (1 Corinthians 14:20).
Men know facts and how to apply them to life. They are not in darkness. They are a good testimony. It is obvious to all that they are mature and know what they are doing.
“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” (Ephessians 4:14-15). An understanding man does not get the wool pulled over his eyes and is not tossed to and fro by the everchanging world he lives in. He knows what he believes and why he believes it.
A young man was once challenged by God to “Ask what I shall give thee.” Lesser men would have asked for their heart’s desires, but not Solomon. Notice what he asked for and how much God was pleased in 1 Kings 3:9-12 “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.”
Let us pray to understand like men so we can pass on wisdom to the next generation. Solomon’s wisdom is still consulted today 3,000 years after he lived.
Thinking - “I thought as a child” becomes “I think like a man” Children think life is all about them. They think life should be fair. They think they should be first. They throw fits and temper tantrums when they are ignored or do not get their way. Grown up men do not think this way.
A youth’s mind begins to become contaminated in their childhood and youth. “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”( Genesis 6:5). Genesis 8:21 contains the statement “for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”
So a man must leave the vanity of youth’s evil imaginations and love his God with “all his mind” (Mark 12:30). A transformation takes place as he renews his mind (Romans 12:2) by bringing every thought unto the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
The guidelines for his thought life is by the instruction of Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” If his thoughts do not fit into one of these themes he must discard those thoughts and change his thinking process to that of a christian man.
