Singing is not a particularly macho activity. Most (not all) guys don’t like to put their emotions on display, and singing is an inherently emotional thing. We want people to see that we’re tough son of a guns who aren’t afraid of nobody. We watch manly sports like football (the American kind!) and Ultimate Fighting. We hunt, we fish, we shoot guns, we play sports. Singing doesn’t rank real high on the “don’t be jealous of my toughness” list. And then you throw Justin Bieber into the mix and . . . well, that throws everything off.
But I want to issue a challenge to my fellow brothers (including myself): when we gather together on a Sunday morning to worship through song, let’s worship like we really mean it. If you’re in a church where there is hand raising, get your hands out of your pockets and lift them up to God. Sing your lungs out. Sing with unrestrained joy and a big smile on your face. Show your kids that real, macho men, don’t give a rip what people think when it comes to worshiping God. Real men don’t stand there impassively, arms crossed, barely mouthing the lyrics. Real men let it all hang out when it comes to worshiping God.
Why am I so lathered up about this? It’s pretty simple. Because God is worthy.
When Ben Roethlisberger ducks under a tackle, steps up into the pocket, side steps a defender, shrugs off a tackle, then launches a forty yard bomb to Mike Wallace, I throw my fist into the air and let out a loud, semi-crazed sounding shout of joy. Why? Because that is a worthy play. It’s a play worthy of admiration and praise.
Giving more emotion and enthusiasm to athletes than to God is wrong. And I’m just as guilty as the rest. God is infinitely worthy of our shouts, smiles, cheers, lifted hands, applause, and delight. He is worthy because of who he is. He is God. The infinite, almighty, omnipotent, omnipresent, good, gracious, glorious, holy, just, righteous, full of mercy God. There is no one like him. He outshines a million suns and makes the angels tremble. Real men worship God because of who he is.
Real men also worship God because of what he has done. He has saved us, forgiven us, redeemed us, adopted us, empowered us, lifted us from the pit, seated us with Christ, and is storing up an inheritance for us. No one has done more for us. No one has been kinder to us. No one is more worthy of our thanks and gratitude.
To stand in stoic silence before our God is an atrocity of gigantic proportions. Men, we need to man up. Who cares what people think about you? We need to worship like real men. We need to drop our macho charade and give God the praise he is worthy. Our kids are watching. Our wives are watching. Unbelievers are watching. Let’s show them how real men worship.
