What is it a real man? and what defines him as such? was the first thing that came to my mind; after reading what I personally consider one of the most impressive texts of the sacred scriptures… Proverbs 20:6 which says:
Many men each proclaim his own goodness, But man of truth, who will find him?
The validity of the matter is remarkable; since indeed, today each one claims to be good and loyalHowever, sometimes the facts contrast radically with the qualities professed, or that they should be or demonstrate…
It must not be easy to be a real man, in the sacred scriptures we see that there are many ways in which even the most consecrated can stray. However it is good to have such an aspiration with sincerity of heart; since it is a wonderful possibility that before the end of our own history we obtain from God the necessary grace; to honor him and walk with our heads held high like real men.
A real man, who will find him?
What the aforementioned verse wants to tell us; it is that it is relatively easy to find people who have a reputation in their own eyes, but on the contrary it is quite difficult to find someone who is truly trustworthy… next we will describe some of the most important qualities that distinguish “a man of TRUE”.
Integrity
It is one of the main qualities that a real man should have. integrity basically consists of the personal achievement of what a person says; what he thinks and what he does are constantly the same thing. This is not an easy achievement today any more than it was in ancient times. That is why the Bible constantly talks about integrity as a precious quality to obtain and maintain.
Some of the most important quotes in the sacred scriptures that tell us about the incalculable value of a man’s personal integrity are Psalm 37:37, which argues a happy ending for the upright. Also David in Psalm 19:13 points out that being upright is a desirable quality product of being preserved from his hidden errors (verse 12) and pride.
Modesty
The second quality that we want to talk about and that a real man must surely possess is humility. Humility is a moral virtue contrary to pride, which the human being possesses in recognizing his abilities, qualities and capacities, and taking advantage of them to work for the good of others, without saying so. Humility allows the person to be trustworthy, flexible and adaptable, to the extent that one becomes humble, he acquires honor and acceptance in front of others as something natural.
The Bible speaks of this great virtue as something indispensable to obtain God’s favor (Psalm 138:6 God attends to the humble but looks to the haughty from afar…); One of the most important mentions of humility in the sacred scriptures is the following:
“The fear of the Lord is the teaching of wisdom; and humility precedes honor.” Proverbs 15:33
Humility is therefore another of the great qualities that a real man possesses and practices.
Diligence
The third quality or virtue that a real man should have is diligence; which is the virtue with which laziness is combated. Diligence comes from the Latin “Diligere” which means Love, but in a more common concept than its similar Latin “Amare” which is more general. It is part of the virtue of charity since it is essentially motivated by love.
Diligence, in a higher sense, is the dedication and care in executing something. A readiness to do something with great agility both internally and externally. As any virtue is worked, truly putting it into practice.
The Bible affirms that the plans of the diligent tend to abundance and that those who make decisions without thinking them through will end up in poverty (Proverbs 21:5). Diligence is the quality that makes a real man efficient, it is the reason why said man is reliable and effective in whatever his work may be.
Patience
fourth important virtue that a real man should possess is patience; This consists of the attitude of the human being to be able to endure setbacks and difficulties while he seeks the acquisition of some good; It is a highly required quality, since in life nothing worthwhile will usually be instantaneous, it requires effort, perseverance and patience…
It is Jesus himself who affirms in the Bible that it is patience that will give us the strength to endure the difficulties in life; and it is this same quality that will allow us to remain in faith until we reach the salvation of our soul (Luke 21:19).
Temperance
Temperance is a virtue that recommends moderation in the attraction of pleasures and seeks balance in the use of created things. It ensures the control of the will over the instincts and keeps desires within the limits of honesty. In a broader sense, they often define it as a synonym for moderation, sobriety and continence.
Temperance is mentioned in the Bible as one of the 9 manifestations of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life, mainly in the letter to the Galatians where it says as follows:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-26
Besides…
A real man not only possesses these virtues He is also that man whose priority is to grow from the soul, the spirit and the heart, he is not the one who resorts to gifts to buy the affection, affection and respect of those around him, he is a balanced being who knows how to value what he money can never buy.
This type of man is one who is able to see beyond your own needs to know in depth the true shortcomings of the people he loves… he has a practical empathy that prevents him from sitting idly by in situations in which he could help and that affect the people around him.
A real man is not the one who reaches higher, nor the one who has more money, house, or car; nor that he lives surrounded by many women, much less is he the most handsome… A real man it is that transparent human being; that does not take refuge in smoke screens; he is the one who opens his heart without rejecting reality; he is the one who admires a woman for her moral foundations and inner greatness.
A real man is the one who walks straight ahead without looking down; he is the one who does not lie even though sometimes he loses by telling the truth… And especially he is the one who knows how to cry his pain without escaping from it…
A real man is not one who is never wrong; he is the one who falls, and he has enough strength to get up and keep fighting…
These among others are the qualities that truly define a real man.
Do not stop reading also: The 9 Fruits of the Holy Spirit, what are they and what do they mean?