Proverbs 27:17
“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend”
As men, we don’t generally like to ask for help. We enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes from doing things ourselves. As I get older, however, I find myself asking for help more and more. I used to find it easier to complete a task myself rather than giving it to someone else to do. Now I find myself delegating more and more, and “doing it myself” less and less. Is this a surrendering to the toll that age is taking on me physically, or is it a product of wisdom that has accompanied the advancing years? I would prefer it was the latter, but I must confess it to be a mixture of both.
If there is one thing that age has taught me however, it is this. Men need other men. We need God fearing men that we can be accountable to, and who we can hold accountable. We need men who will pray with us, and for us. We need men who we can laugh with, study with, talk with, and worship with. We need men who will encourage us when we’re in the valley, and bring us back to reality when we get too full of ourselves. That’s the reason I’ve chosen Proverbs 27:17 as our Men’s Ministry verse.
God has laid the burden of leadership on the male, and we have been sorely lacking. For too long, we have been willing to coast along, go with the flow, and let someone else take the lead. If we are ever to be the men of God that we were intended to be, then we must stand up now and say “Enough!” We must be the ones who are willing to stand in the gap, lead our families and churches, and fulfill the destiny that God Himself ordained for us.
I will be posting my thoughts, encouragements, and opportunities to serve here from time to time, so please check back often. If you have any opportunities, ideas, etc. that our Men’s Ministry needs to be involved in, please make them known to me. I am honored to be the director of the Men’s Ministry at Oak Grove First Baptist, and I pray that this post has somehow inspired you to take an active role in the lives of other men who may need your help.
May God richly bless each of you, Todd Hicks
