Daily devotional – Where are all the godly male role models?
1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
At a recent school athletics carnival, I couldn’t help but notice a troubling trend. A surprising number of young males wore ballet tutus in their house colours. Some may dismiss this as harmless fun, but what struck me wasn’t only their attire—it was their demeanour. It revealed, to me, a growing ease among young men in abandoning a healthy sense of masculinity.
Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians speaks directly to this: “act like men.” It was a call for believers to grow up, to leave behind childishness, and to display courageous manliness in a time when strong, mature leadership was desperately needed.
But biblical manhood isn’t about harshness or domination. It must be balanced with the love of God, lest leadership become tyranny. Abraham Lincoln was once described as a man of “velvet steel”—a man of principle and strength, yet clothed with compassion. That balance of toughness and tenderness is essential.
For the truest model of masculinity, we need look no further than our Lord Jesus Christ. His life embodied responsibility, humility, sacrificial strength, and godly leadership. He protected, He guided, He served, and He laid down His life for others. This is the standard to which Christian men are called.
And yet, manhood today is in crisis. We see what many call “perpetual adolescence”—men in their 20s and 30s stuck in virtual worlds, enslaved to pornography, or drifting aimlessly without purpose. In generations past, manhood was marked by responsibility—building homes, leading families, defending communities, and serving the Lord. Today, far too many settle for comfort and passivity.
The tragedy is not confined to society; it’s hitting the church as well. When men disengage, families falter and churches grow weak. We don’t just need men who are present—we need men who are engaged, godly, and courageous. Men who will step into leadership in the home, serve faithfully in the church, and guide the next generation.
The saddest part of seeing so many boys easily don women’s attire is this: too often, it points to an absence of strong, godly male role models at home.
So let us pray—for fathers to rise up who reflect Christ in their leadership. Men who will protect, provide, and nurture with both gentleness and strength. Men who, like Joshua, will declare with conviction:
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)