This is a letter I wrote to a friend back in 2011-ish. I was asked by his father to share words of encouragement with him on a certain birthday as he stepped into manhood. It was a great honor. I got to read it aloud on this special occasion. After finding it the other day and reading it, I realized I really wrote a large portion of it to myself, and that maybe I will stop to read it every now and again if I post it here. The story about the boy in the middle is actually a dream I had that the Lord interpreted for me. It was an amazing thing that I don’t want to forget, which, I think, is also why I’m sharing it with you, with other men… these things we sometimes forget… or ignore altogether when we feel them. I hope you find encouragement in it.

Courage: The Lord Is a Warrior. What Does That Make You?

Sam,

I must first tell you that I do not consider myself to be any great example of anything and I feel rather inadequate in passing on any kind of wisdom to you. That being said, what I want to tell you is that you have a unique opportunity being at the beginning of your life and knowing about Christ, and having godly parents as examples and reservoirs of knowledge willing to teach you about Him (Pro 1:8-9). Take advantage of it. I had the same opportunity but I didn’t take advantage of it. I did not see the importance of a relationship with Christ at my young age and I strayed away for many years doing all the things the world and other men are going to tell you are fun and worthwhile and expected of you if you are to have friends, be accepted by others and be successful. I’ve already done all the things the world will tempt you with throughout your high school and college years and if the only reason why I strayed from the Lord and staggered in sin all those years is to be here now and to tell you it’s not worth anything, then I’m glad I went through it so that maybe you won’t have to. It is only by the grace of God I can even be here to tell you this.

Courage

G. K. Chesterton, a Christian Apologist and writer from the early 20th century, said this:

“Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die.”

Jesus, our Lord and Savior, said this:

“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.  Luk 9:24 NASB

There was a boy lost in the cold, wintry woods on a dark night. He was searching for someone. He was searching for a man… but the boy was not alone. With each step further into the woods, everywhere he glanced, from behind every tree, he saw a pair of glowing red eyes watching him, and he knew they were the same pair of eyes. He was being stalked by a creature that seemed to be all around him and could have him at any time. The creature wailed bitterly at the boy. It was a hideously awful sound. The boy was deeply frightened and wanted to run and hide, but he knew the only way he could get out of the woods was to find the man, and he knew the only way he could find the man was to face the creature. Somehow, he knew the creature could lead him to the man, and if he didn’t face the creature, not only would he be lost in the woods, but the man he was searching for would be lost forever so he continued on. The creature’s dreadful wailing grew louder as it closed in on him and, by now, the boy could see it off in the distance flailing around on the ground in a disturbing manner through swirls of snow in the thin moonlight. It was lean, gangly and white. Its hair was like silk blowing with the frozen breeze and its fiery, red eyes were fixed on him. The boy was scared, his heart pounding, and he knew he had two options: be terrified while running away from the creature or be terrified while running toward the creature. Knowing that the only way he would get out of the woods was by finding the man, and that the creature knew where the man was, he ran at it as fast as he could run. The creature would finally have him in a moment, he thought, and he feared he may even die, but a strange and astonishing thing happened. When the boy confronted the creature, it slumped in submission at his heel, and what had once been a keen, mournful wail was now a subdued growl. Though still frightening, it was not nearly as fierce.  Suddenly, and unexpectedly, the boy found the man he was looking for… inside of him. He was free to leave the woods.

Courage is confronting the creature you’re afraid to confront—whatever that may be for you, Sam—that tries to keep you from finding the man inside of you, the man God intended you to be through Christ, His Son. And just because you confront it doesn’t mean it will go away. It may be near you always. It may be something you have to confront on a daily basis, but know you will be able to conquer it with the help of the Lord.

2Ch 15:7 NASB  “But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.”

Psa 27:14 NASB  Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.

Psa 60:12 NASB  Through God we shall do valiantly, And it is He who will tread down our adversaries.

The Lord Is a Warrior

Sam, did you know that the Lord is a warrior? I want you to grasp this because if your image of the Lord is lacking, chances are you’re not going to believe what He says about you because you were made in His image (Gen 1:27). A deficient understanding of who God is contributes to error and compromise in any part of His Word for all of us.

The Lord is a warrior.

Exo 15:3 NASB  “The LORD is a warrior; The LORD is His name.

The Lord is the Word.

Joh 1:1-3 NASB  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (2)  He was in the beginning with God.  (3)  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

The Word is sharper than any sword made by man.

Heb 4:12 NASB  For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The Word is a shield.

Pro 30:5 NASB  Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

Taking refuge in the Lord is not an act of shame or cowardice. It is an act of equipping yourself.

The Lord is the one who fights our battles but we are required to show up. This is courage.

Deu 20:1-4 NASB  “When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.  (2)  “When you are approaching the battle, the priest shall come near and speak to the people.  (3)  “He shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them,  (4)  for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’

Jos 23:10 NASB  “One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you.

As a man, the Lord will call on you to do battle against worldly ideas, influences and personal struggles, but the Lord has made a promise to you to fight for you and He is faithful (Rev 19:11). If He wasn’t, He wouldn’t be the Lord. Check yourself so you never go into battle on your own (Eph 6:10-18).

Sam, congratulations on your step into manhood and welcome. Just know that the Lord is a warrior and there is no shame in trusting in a warrior, especially the Warrior of all warriors, the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords with your life in this world and forever.

Pro 3:5-6 NASB  Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.  (6)  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

Ancient Virtues of Manhood (Virtues of Antiquity)

I want to define a few of my favorite words for you. These are all very strong words which you can tell by the sounds of the letters used when you speak them. We hardly use them anymore.  It is unfortunate because there are no new words in our modern language to take their place.  All of these ideas are fused into a man’s soul.

Fealty – loyalty to a lord.  The obligation or the engagement to be faithful to a lord.  Fidelity; faithfulness

Valor – boldness or determination in facing great danger, esp. in battle; heroic courage; bravery

Valiant – boldly courageous; brave; stout-hearted: a valiant soldier.  Marked by or showing bravery or valor; heroic: to make a valiant effort.  Worthy; excellent

Ardor – great warmth of feeling; fervor; passion; intense devotion, eagerness, or enthusiasm; zeal; burning heat

Ardent – having, expressive of, or characterized by intense feeling; passionate; fervent.  Intensely devoted, eager, or enthusiastic; zealous.  Vehement; fierce.  Burning, fiery, or hot

Gallant – brave, spirited, noble-minded, or chivalrous: a gallant knight    

Steadfast – fixed in direction; steadily directed.  Firm in purpose, resolution, faith, attachment.  Unwavering, as resolution, faith, adherence.  Firmly fixed in place or position.

Fortitude – mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously

Integrity – adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.  The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished.  A sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition.

Finally, Sam, I want to tell you that chance is a figment of man’s imagination so leave nothing to it because it doesn’t exist and it will offer you no return. When you are trusting in the Lord, it is impossible to do so, anyway. Show up for the battle and stay in His Word and He will be faithful to honor that. Everything else, all of man’s wisdom, is just a quagmire of sinking sand.  

I am available to you if ever you have questions or concerns about anything.

A Friend Because of Christ,

Jon