What does a real man look like in the world today? To answer that, we first have to look at the definition our culture gives us. We see it in movies, magazines, and music. The message is consistent. I see three constants: muscles, money, and women.
According to culture, a real man is tough. He does not show emotion. He handles his own business. A real man has money, and it does not matter how he spends it. The point is simply that he has it. A real man has women. The implication is that you cannot be a true man without one.
But what if our culture is feeding us a lie? What if it is grossly misleading us about the nature of a real man?
Our high schools, colleges, workplaces, and homes are filled with men who are trying to prove their legitimacy. The problem is that we are looking for legitimacy from a culture that changes daily, even hourly. It is a culture predicated on promiscuity and infatuated with the almighty dollar. One day it tells us to dress one way. The next day it tells us the opposite.
The picture of “real” that our culture paints for men is just as ridiculous as the image of the perfect body it promotes for women. It is a façade. Smoke and mirrors.
To find something real, we have to wade through the charades and cultural stigmas. That takes effort. But once we dig below the surface, something different is exposed. Something divorced from cultural nonsense. Something grounded in truth, not a manufactured version of it. Something real.
10 Signs of a Real Man
1. A real man treats people with respect.
This first point is vital among the 10 signs of a real man. A real man doesn’t trash talk or bad mouth other people. “But Frank, what about my teacher at school? Or what about my boss at work? They deserve everything they are getting from me and others.” Right. So tell me again what you deserve for all the awful things you have done to others? See? A real man finds no value in tearing down other people. He realizes these people are not much different from himself. He also realizes God is not glorified in the tearing down of others.
2. A real man honors his wife and friends.
I grew up in an environment where wives were not honored. I was around too many people who used outings to the bar, the golf course or the hunting camp as opportunities to talk about their wives’ failures and downfalls. They would also throw in the failures of their friends for good measure. But show me a man who builds up his wife and friends…and I will show you a real man. Why? A man who honors his wife and friends can only do so because he is confident in himself.
RELATED: Jesus Shows Us How to Respect Women
Men, when was the last time you complimented your wife in front of others? When was the last time you made her feel important? A real man makes a habit of honoring and building up his wife and friends.
3. A real man never leads women on.
Guys, let me be real with you. If you date girls just to have a girl or you want sex; f you have no intentions on a legitimate relationship; you are a coward. That’s direct, yes. But it’s true. It’s real. If this is you, stop it. End the relationship. A real man respects the feelings and dignity of women. He does not see women as objects to fulfill his desires. He does not date because having a girl is fun or expected. There is intentionality behind his relationships.
See Page Two for more of the 10 signs of a real man . . .
