Samson is a picture of the modern masculine archetype. A man who left the mundane life of his home town and journeyed exotic lands, battled wild beasts, romanced women, and drank deeply in rich cultural experiences. Samson Fountain / Peterhof State Museum-Reserve And yet his life ended in ruin. Samson's story serves as a great warning to us as men in the area of calling and the pursuit of adventure. We must pay attention. Let's dive in. The Set Up: The Allure of Culture Samson was born during...
over 1 year ago • 4 min read
Last week we spoke about the original sin of man: passivity. If you missed it, read it here. The antidote to passivity is intentionality. 3 Step Framework for Becoming an Intentional Man. 1) Identify Your Areas of Responsibility We all have them. Question is: how are they doing under your care? Work, marriage, health, creative work, spiritual life, relationships, etc. List them out and figure out where you need to turn up the intentionality. 2) Write The Vision Intention = first vision, then...
over 1 year ago • 2 min read
The Original Sin Of Man I recently re-read the story of Adam & Eve something jumped off the page that changed my entire perspective. We often focus on (and blame) Eve for the fall of mankind. But this time I saw something different. I saw the original sin of man: Passivity. Let me explain: (my working definition of passivity: neglecting God-given responsibility) It’s going through the motions It's living life in the background It's sitting in the stands vs being in the arena It's leaning back...
over 1 year ago • 1 min read
How Jesus Reframes Finding Your Purpose The world says purpose is about maximizing your potential. The kingdom says purpose is about fulfilling your assignment. Jesus fell short of his potential. By worldly standards, he could have amassed an enormous following and became the GOAT Rabbi in Jerusalem. Instead, he was a carpenter, had 12 followers, helped the poor and sick, defied traditional authority, and was killed at age 33. Jesus valued his assignment over his potential. So should you....
over 1 year ago • 1 min read
002 // 2 Signs You are Still Living as a Boy The truth is, many of us did not have fathers who taught us how to abandon our youthful ways and embrace the virtues and challenges of becoming a man. So we find ourselves in adulthood unknowingly still living with our old boyish ways. Our lack of intentional fathers, combined with the fact that our culture celebrates and encourages boyish behavior in men, means that if we don't proactively cultivate a better way, we will default into remaining a...
over 1 year ago • 2 min read
001 // The Story of an 86 Year Old VITAL MAN This is the story of an 86 year old VITAL MAN who lived in the second century. His name is Polycarp. According to the Roman empire, Polycarp was the “teacher of Asia, father of the Christians, and the destroyer of our gods." In 155 AD, he was captured by Roman soldiers and dragged before the proconsul in the infamous Roman Colosseum. The proconsul called for him to deny Christ and swear allegiance to Caesar. Polycarp refused: ”For eighty-six years...
over 1 year ago • 2 min read