Maturing Into Manhood 4.0 - "Six More Times"

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
(Hebrews 11:6 ESV)

Some of the most valuable lessons that the Lord taught me concerning a faithful Christian life were taught to me during my senior year of public high school. One such lesson I affectionately remember as the discipline that I call "Six More Times."

This story begins before I officially began the school year at Alvirne High School. The assistant coach brought in a college friend who, back in the day, was an All-American Division III guard/forward. After the clinic, the head coach of my team approached him with an issue concerning our center, who was in need of some "conditioning" tips. I don't even remember this clinic instructor's name, but I'll always remember what he said:

"You know how you run wind sprints until you throw up? When I was training, I would do that. Then, I would do it six more times. When you're able to train your body to ignore signs of fatigue, you will be able to run at full speed all game and still be able to perform at a high level during the fourth quarter."

I didn't think much about that word of advice until about two months ago. When this life demands me to take seriously my role as a man created and commissioned by God, my response must be a joyful "yes!" in whatever position He has placed me.

I have been talking to my dad lately about the daily progression away from the clutches of boyhood and towards the glad acceptance of self-sacrifical responsibility, one of the primary marks of mature manhood. In these discussions, one thing to which he has often been returning is that he sees one major distinctive of boyhood as the desire for enjoyment in the easy (often, cheap) thrills of life. On the other hand, a maturing man is one who is characterized by a desire for enjoyment in the mundane things. My dad has been painting the picture of a man who seeks to be faithful in everyday tasks, works his heart out, and has a blast during the restful times. This man does not seek for enjoyment outside of his station of life; but rather, this man seeks for enjoyment inside his station of life.

I'm beginning to see the man-making process as a "Six More Times" kind of process. As men-in-training, we should be glad to see progress in our lives; but my dad advocates that a man is someone who sees his God-given task as a task that is regularly repeated, day after day after day. True acceptance of responsibility is not a one hit wonder.

What does this mean for daily life? It looks tedious and thankless. We do what we do because we are who we are. The purpose of kicking off the goads of boyhood is not to gain any particular reward. If nothing else, we do it knowing that we are becoming who the Lord made us to be.

If the standard or benchmark for enjoyment is as simple as showing up to work on time and washing the dishes faithfully, how much more will the really fun things be when the time is right for them to take place! I have also found a freedom in not always being in the middle of the whirlwind of excitement... because when I leave college and have to do normal person stuff for the next (if the Lord wills) sixty-ish years of life, there really won't be so many opportunities for that whirlwind anymore. Life gets dull. And that's ok.

Here's where Hebrews 11:6 comes in; doing the thanklessly right thing six more times will get exhausting. Sure, it's fun to think that steps in the right direction are happening, but when those steps continue to plod on mile after mile, day after day, faith will wane. That's why we (both men and women) must have faith, remembering that the Lord does reward those who seek Him!

Faith is not something we can manufacture. My Father is the only foreman of the faith factories. That's why we should be the most prayerful people on the earth--right theology demands a very low view of our effect on anything and a very high view of His effect on everything.

I think being a "Six More Times" kind of man is an intrinsically good thing; but, if I pursue it outside of devotion to my Creator, my desire will transmogrify into either arrogance in victory or depression in defeat--neither of which evidence the Spirit's work in our lives.

For all of us men-wannabes out there, we really, really need Him.

.DSN.