Masculine Image Bearer

“Masculinity is the power to do good with what is given/received. “To be in touch with one’s masculinity at the highest level is to be empowered with Truth himself. It is to be enabled to take one’s circumstances against the lies and the illusions of one’s individual life and environment as well as the lies and illusions of one’s corporate existence and age.”  – Leanne Payne –

Yeah, here’s another dude’s thoughts on masculinity, but hear me out.  I think I may have thoughts worth considering on the subject.

People have been trying to define masculinity for ages.  There are many good descriptions. There are A LOT of bad descriptions.

Most of the bad descriptions of masculinity can be seen in the surrounding culture – art, music, media, clothing, behaviors, social activities/behaviors which in turn can form masculine identity and more.

Early on in my childhood I strongly misidentified with males because of the comparison I made of myself to them (and multiple other contributing factors).  Ooooo, I was soooo different from them.  So different from males I perceived, and so much more like the girls that I believed I was supposed to be a girl.  (See “My Transgender Excursion here.)  I made it through that gender dysphoria but it still remained that I did not know how to be a man, a male, masculine.

Among the many dynamics I recovered from in my SSA journey with Jesus was the lingering question, “What is masculinity?”

Life-giving words from God came to me: “Jer’, I’ve given you a unique expression of masculinity that only you are to reflect.  Follow me and learn.”

Through my journey with Jesus, I had to first decide to believe Him, The Creator of me, The One who knew me more than I knew myself.  Secondly, He illuminated the broken images, false reflections of masculinity many men portrayed.  I resisted making them my own expressions – that would have been another false-masculine-image-bearer walking the earth.  Not me!  With His help, I was discerning false and true masculinity.  Remember, He told me not to reflect other’s expressions of masculinity.  He had a masculine expression, unique to me and that only I was to reflect.  He gave me five general character qualities to guide my masculine development.

Credo (Beliefs)
Please note that all the characteristics presented below are all attributes of God personhood.  God is the purest and most radiant image bearer of masculine (and feminine. I will blog on femininity in the near future).

Gen 1:27
I believe that male and female together (within marriage) most greatly reflect the image and character of God.
I believe that single individuals can reflect both masculine and feminine qualities (Galatians 3:28).  With that said, I believe that male is to mostly reflect the masculine qualities of God and female is to mostly reflect the feminine qualities of God.                                                                                                                   I believe that masculine qualities are not exclusive to male and likewise with feminine qualities.

Characteristics of God that I categorize into masculine attributes:

DECISIVENESS – non-qualified choice, to determine or settle, conclude, inner resolve leading to engage the will, free from ambiguity.  “Because he knew, he decided.” I John 1:1

When I sing in a group I decide to give it my all.  When I dance in a group I decide to give it my all.  I decide that I’m going to sing or dance with all I know!  Most of the time it’s a beautiful thing! Sometimes I get it wrong and it’s obvious. It’s obvious because I decided to put all I know out there!

INITIATIVE – starting something. God created. He started it all – the heavens and the earth, light, darkness, dry land, seas, creatures… .”  Initiative takes the first step, risks, leads begins an action, take responsibility to begin, vision.  The power to do good with what is given.
Gen 1: 1-3, 6, 9, 14, 20 & 24

The Father looked at his creation, saw the disorder felt compassion and sent Jesus to save!

ASSERTIVENESS – Inserting all of one’s resources to triage a situation, stepping into chaos and bring organization, prioritization and direction, stating with assurance and confidence (speaking the truth in love).
Matt 4:3, 4, 6 & 7, PS 91:11

POWER/ORCHESTRATE – Force, energy, stamina, endurance, authority, doing whatever it takes to do what is right, ability to fill the needs of others to the best of one’s abilities, capability to carry out what is determined, bring order out of chaos, to form, to shape, to define, ‘horsepower’ – strength in restraint and directed.
Ex 14:21 & 22 (Red Sea)

CONTROL – Restrain, orchestrate, to hold in check, objectivity, to curb, yield,
Dan 6: 19 – 24, Dan 3: 26 – 27

These I believe, are five masculine character qualities thru which we are to filter our choices and behaviors, thus contribute to our masculine development.

Leave a Reply