The "man club".

That's what my then 6-year-old son told me he joined.

I asked him what he had to do to be in the "man club", and he said you had to be a man and "like...do man-type stuff".

Well, the "man club" didn't last long, but what did last was the thought in my heart that I had some work to do with raising my boys.

Let me state here that I am no expert at raising boys. I have three of them, but I am learning and growing everyday. I have mom wins and many mom fails. I get this whole parenting thing wrong often, and I'm certainly no expert on being a man. 

But, I knew I needed to do my part in teaching all of my sons what it really means to be a man- to help them know what it means to be a godly man and a godly husband. I want them to have not only faith-filled God-honoring lives, but I want them to be the best husbands and fathers they can be.

The Bible has many great examples of many Godly men. Flawed, yes, but no doubt they have much to teach this generation's young men. Two that stand out to me are Boaz and the Proverbs man. As I explored the characteristics of these men, I began to write them on our mirrors and our walls and speak about them in our conversations. I left it to God to write them on the hearts of my boys.

I leave them here to share with you as well.

Characteristics of Boaz:

1. Showed care and concern for others
2. Generous and compassionate
3. High integrity
4. Prayed for his future wife 
5. Humility: respected those different from him
6. Looked past labels and saw who people really were. 
5. Was a provider in making his wife feel safe and secure (love your wife as Christ loves the Church)
8. Looked for inner beauty
9. Trusted in the Lord (a man after God's own heart)

Characteristics of a Proverbs Man:

Patient (Proverbs 15:18)
Generous (Proverbs 14:21)
Faithful (Proverbs 17:17)
Reliable (Proverbs 17:17)
Peacemaker (Proverbs 17:1)
Forgiving (Proverbs 19:11)
Humble (Proverbs 15:25)
Willing to admit mistakes (Proverbs 28:13)
Control over temper (Proverbs 14:29)
Shows self-control (Proverbs 12:15)
Avoids excess (Proverbs 20:1)
Positive outlook (Proverbs 15:15 and 17:22)
Concerned about others (Proverbs 29:7)
Not envious (Proverbs 27:4)
Kind (Proverbs 12:10)
Compassionate (Proverbs 12:10)
Works hard (Proverbs 12:11)
Listens to godly advice (Proverbs 12:15)
Overlooks insults (Proverbs 12:16)
Speaks gently (Proverbs 12:18)
Truthful (Proverbs 12:19 and 12:22)
Promotes peace (Proverbs 12:20)
Chooses friends carefully (Proverbs 12:26)
Listens to Father (Proverbs 13:1)
Doesn’t speak rashly (Proverbs 13:3)
Fears the Lord (Proverbs 14:26)

My boys are not perfect.

No, I am not raising Jesus. 

However, I am raising boys who I hope will strive to be like Him.

Our boys don't need to be in a "man club" to be more like Jesus or to grow into men that display godly characteristics like Boaz did.

We are part of raising the next generation of men. This is not only a responsibility, but a gift. Our sons, grandsons, nephews...they will make their own choices. We can only help point them in the right direction. In the end, the kind of men they become is up to them. Together, may we pray that we are raising boys that will strive towards godliness. May our boys of today step proudly and confidently into manhood tomorrow, glorifying God. May the Spirit rise up in them. 

Blessings,
Elizabeth

*Please note: I shared just a quick overview here, but I highly encourage you to read and study not only Boaz but the whole book of Ruth and the Proverbs.*