In years past, courage was an honoured virtue. Courage and honour went hand in hand. We hear and read of men named, Richard the Lionheart and books titled Captain Courageous and The Red Badge of Courage. We look back to the warriors of Sparta and the medieval knights who were epitomized by courage and chivalry. While we often think of courage in terms of extraordinary actions, we all need courage on a daily basis for the normal, everyday actions.
One aspect of courage is the willingness to make decisive decisions and the readiness to face the ensuing consequences. Hence, the rise of the indecisive man in our society is a source of concern. It is revealing some of the underlying problems in our society. Gone are the days when courage, conviction and decisiveness were basic requirements for men. We now live in a society that exalts stuntmen and entertainers who are more concerned with their public image than their moral fibre; their moral convictions are always in line with the popular trend of the day. So what is wrong with the indecisive man?
Indecision reveals lack of direction
Men who do not know where they are coming from and where they are going are bound to be indecisive. They do not know who they are and what they want. They keep talking of finding themselves, and they keep changing what they want to do in life. Is it any wonder that some men seem to be in a perpetual mid-life crisis from their early 20s. They cannot settle on career direction and neither do they seem to settle on a marriage partner. A man who is not set on the direction he will take will be indecisive in life choices.
Indecision reveals a lack of conviction
Further, indecision reveals a lack of conviction. A man who lacks direction will invariably be devoid of conviction. He does not know what he stands for, and as a result, he struggles to commit and make bold choices. This is particularly true in relationships. There was a time when young men pursued young women with every ounce of skill and every weapon in their arsenal. They were diligent and direct. They were clear about their intentions and wary of others making a move before them. In many ways, that is part of biblical manhood. Sadly, there is a breed of young men who have the spirit of hovering without stating intentions, of “maybe” and “I am finding myself.” Hence, the spirit of “it’s complicated” has become the new normal. Moreover, by the time people are getting married, they have left a trail of scarred hearts. Dear Christian men, act like men and do all in love (1 Corinthians 16:13).
Indecision reveals a proud heart
Cowardly men do not want to learn, and they do not want to fail. They do not know, and they do not want anyone to know of their ignorance. Therefore, they cowardly choose to do nothing. They want a 100 per cent guarantee before they can do anything. This is often masked as caution and wisdom, but in many ways, it is an unwillingness to fail. They quietly harbour ambitions of being perfect. Sadly, in their quest to be perfect, they never make any decisions.
In a society devoid of assertive, humble and courageous men, we need the Christian men to rise to the occasion. We need men who are clear about their direction and convictions. We need men who are not afraid to make decisions. Men who are not afraid to admit when they make wrong decisions. Men who are not scared to face the consequences of their actions. We need courageous men, who will humbly take a stand!
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