Meekness vs Machoism: The Call To Be Holy and the Cross
Jan 11
Hey I got a pair of shorts just like that. I wear them to the pool 
. Remember wrestling? I was a huge wrestling fan groing up. Junk Yard Dog, Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Hacksaw Jim Dugan, the Iron Shiek, Superfly Jimmy Snuka, The Million Dollar Man, Jake the Snake, The Ultimate Warrior, The Bull Dogs, Coco B. Ware, man those were the days. Practicing wrestling moves in the backyard, making cardboard belts, going to other neighborhoods, wrestling on pissy mattresses (disgusting I know). Man oh man. This picture brings back some of the joys of my childhood.
Well, anyone who watched wrestling knew about this guy and his main squeeze Elizabeth, who didn’t want to hug up next to her? His name? Well it is Macho Man and I thought it to be a great picture for this post.
You see today being a Macho Man is not only accepted but expected. There are many of preachers who boast on being a macho man, they even say Jesus was a man’s man, not some woose with nice nails and pedicures. But what exactly does that mean? Whats the basis for such things? Because He was a carpenter? Sure he could have been a very athletically built guy, because he turned over the tables in temple? I am sure he wasn’t a 5’5 feminine guy. But to portray Jesus as some macho man flaunting his bravado is misleading and I know we want to get man to come back to the church but unless the Spirit draws them… telling them stories about a Macho Man Jesus is just misleading.
The bible never calls Jesus a man’s man, but it does call Him meek. And this is where I want to spend my time focusing. You see being a Macho Man isn’t unusual. It isn’t difficult. Pushing your weight around, exercising your rights, flexing your muscles, you know, being a tough guy whats hard about that. Men have been doing that for centuries. But what about meekness? What about humility? What about giving up one’s rights for the sake of redemption? Think about this. The rulers wanted Jesus to flex His muscles. Remember what the said when He was on the cross? Come down and then we will believe you or he saved others but can’t save himself? Or what about Philippians 2, or what about Jesus’ own words when Peter pulls out his sword? He says “could I not dispatch a legion of angels”. He spoke the world into existence people.
You see meekness takes the Spirit. It takes us yielding to God’s Spirit. But even more important meekness causes us to depend soley on God for the results of the circumstances we find ourselves in. It is easy to curse back, it is easy to file a complaint, it is easy to push your chest out and defend your rights. It takes the Spirit to not revile in return when reviled. It takes the Spirit to not go and curse someone out when they have slandered your name. As Jesus is hanging on the cross He says “to your hands Father I commit my spirit”. That my friend is totaly dependency. As He is falsely accused, beaten, a crown of thorns on His head, as He is spit on, slapped around like a rag doll, whipped like a worthless slave, He doesn’t flex His muscles. Paul says “He took on the form of a servant” and “He humbled Himself to death…”
If we are going to name ourselves among those who carry the cross, those who want to experience the fellowship of His suffering, those who boast about imitating our master then machoism should not be named among us. The bible describes our master as meek and we are to walk that path of meekness.
You are not saying being so macho that one enters into pacifism…
Amen Brother, thats the truth.
I liked the 2×4 toting Jim Dugan, “Tough-Guy!”
Matthew 5:44 – But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Luke 6:27 – “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
Luke 6:35 – But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Matthew 5:38-39 – “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[a] But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
Romans 12:19 – Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[a] says the Lord.
Hebrews 10:30 – For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[a] and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”[b]
Galatians 5:23 – gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Ephesians 4:2 – Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Philippians 4:5 – Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Colossians 3:12 – Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
1 Timothy 3:3 – not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
1 Timothy 6:11 – But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
Titus 3:2 – to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
WHAT A WORD FOR TODAY..WITH ALL THINGS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD TODAY MEEKNESS NOT WEAKNESS IS NEEDED. WHEN MY SAVIOR DIED ON THE CROSS FOR ME AND YOU..WOW WHAT MANNER OF MAN IS HE!!
Brian,
The opposite of Machoism isn’t Pacifism. So that would be a no. I have studied pacifism (and it has many branches) and I would not be pacifist. Machosim is sin however and anything close to it is sinful. Machoism is the result of a puffed up ego wanting to flex itself in the defense of itself. Meekness, which doesn’t necessitate pacifism is the exact opposite. Meekness isn’t timidness either. For example, timidness has a woest me victimizing disoposition. Meekness does not. We can still fight for the rights of individuals (social justice), express the glories of the Cross in face of persecution and even the violation of man’s law and not only that we can use force if necessary (you can even take someone’s life and still be meek).
So my answer would be no again. But Machoism is sin and has no place among Christians.
Hutch,
Those are all wonderful, wonderful verses.
Big Will,
Thanks for commenting brother. Wow 16 years later and we still can interact
(at least now I ain’t a 16 year old knucklehead know it all, just a 33 year old, knucklehead know it all LOL).
In seriousness, this is exactly what I am saying. In weakness He showed Himself strong. Who boasts in a cross?
I agree with you bruh..Just wanted to make sure I was reading into what you were saying.
Brian,
I always like the probing questions because it opens up what you cant’ write in the blog. Meekness is probably a 300 page book at least.
Brother I hadto wrestle with you thoughts of machosimbeing a sin and i can see what you are saying. At its core it is a false sense of pride…
Reminds me of a story a pastor once shared on a dialouge with his son when it came to superheros and whom we consider “Strong.” For he asked his son, “Who do you think is the greatest superhero?”—and his son said “Superman!!!!”…though the father said it was Jesus who was the greatest. When the son replied, “Superman can beat up all of the bad guys and is super strong!!!”, the pastor noted “That may be true, but Jesus is stronger because only Jesus can turn the bad guys into good ones…..”
Blew my mind away hearing of that, as its so true when seeing the reality that Jesus is truly the greatest superhero—-and growing up, our culture seems to exalt in the comic book industry a mindset that true superheros are those with muscle and great powers….yet no one acknowleges that true power is service since those at the table have the influence over those with positional authority(Luke 22:20-30). Its amazing to see how even in the secular world this has played out, as throughout history many have noted the power of Figureheads when it comes to rebellions….as those who serve the people are often taken to be representatives of the people and exercise GREAT influence over the masses—-to the point of being celebrated as heros when they are a voice for others