By observing many men today, it would appear that all it takes to be a real man is to just do what comes naturally. Things like drinking lots of beer, neglecting loving wives, and by reminding ungrateful kids at every commercial just how hard they work. Things like weekly fishing trips, ridiculous purchases, and emotional shallowness. Things like being too proud to admit being wrong, too insecure to accept correction, and too easily distracted by things that are just not important.
One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another."
From what I've read, the best way to sharpen a knife is to use steel. When using a mere stone, the blade can become rough and out of line. But by using a sharpening steel, the blade will be smoothed out, leaving a nice straight edge.
The same way a sharpening steel will straighten out a blade's edge, a good man can straighten out another good man. But the truth is most men don't like being challenged by other men. As a result, they never acquire a sharper, straighter edge; therefore they are less effective, less useful, less equipped for that which they were created.
Might I submit to you that a real man is one who recognizes the value of being challenged by other men, recognizes the value of having his edge straightened out, and recognizes that a real man is one who is continually forged in the crucible of steel-on-steel training and honing and straightening. A real man recognizes the value of other men, and rather than avoiding their challenge, he welcomes it.
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