Men's Divine Roles and Responsibilities

Jesus Christ said, "Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning... And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers" 1. 

A tradition I've noticed more and more recently is the demeaning of men, which takes away from the natural innocence and goodness they were born with. Media seems to more often than not to portray men as sexist, stupid, and lazy. 

This week I had an assignment to watch 2 episodes of American sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and was offended at how disrespectful they were in portraying men and women. Raymond was seen as mentioned earlier, sexist, lazy, stupid, and a terrible parent. It's so wrong! It should not be common for men to be seen this way. God has revealed things about manhood, and I want to share some of those truths.

Thus, I'll address two things today. A few things God has said about men, and some of their divine roles and responsibilities (FYI: written as if the person reading is a man).

A Few Things God Has Said About Men:

"Ye are gods, children of the most High," (Ps. 82:6)

"We [You] are the offspring of God," (Acts 17:29)

"Ye are the children of the Lord your God" (Deut 14:1)

End of story. 

Conclusion.

Finished.

Word.

Enough said?? 

If that isn't convincing enough, Thomas S. Monson said it beautifully when he quoted these words: “The worth of a soul is its capacity to become as God.” 2  You (man reading this) are a child of God and as such have a divine heritage. You should have no questions in your mind about your value as an individual. You have the possibility of godhood! 3

Christ Himself admonished you to, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

“For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him" (D&C 18:10-11)

He suffered for your sins so that you could overcome the natural man, traditions of the fathers, and what those in the world may say. Anyone can repent and access godliness. 

Mens Divine Roles and Responsibilities:

One of the greatest blessings one can have in this life is marriage and family. Fathers play a huge role in rearing righteous children. "Fatherhood, in a sense, is an apprenticeship to godhood." 4

I loooove that it says apprenticeship. An apprentice learns all the skills of the master tradesmen, in hopes that one day he can become a master himself. 

In the Eternal Family Manual there are some key points about manhood: 

• Fatherhood is leadership, the most important kind of leadership
• You teach most effectively by example
• The greatest work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home
• Governing, correcting, nurturing, and blessing them in meekness, tenderness, and love on the principles of righteousness

It's pretty clear that God sees the value of you and wants you to know that the greatest work you could ever do is within your own family unit. That first must come from self-improvement, and I believe that comes from knowing who you really are. 

In Steven Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People he shared that he'd known many people who'd climbed ladders of success (i.e. lots of money, nice homes, cars, etc,.) but they realized that their ladders had been leaned up against the wrong wall. They might have had outward success, but didn't have what was most important - strong family relationships. 

I always think about what matters most when we die is what we should focus on in life. What is that? Our knowledge and education, our characters, and our friend and familial relationships. 

Not everyone will have the opportunity to marry or have a family in this life, but the divine roles of men, your divine roles, still apply. You don't have to have children to have a massive influence for good in the neighborhoods or communities in which you'll reside. 

Conclusion:

So, what does one do with this information? Perhaps take a self-evaluation of where your feelings of worth come from. Decide if you need to make changes. Set goals and make plans. Put your ladder on the right wall. Your earthly and eternal happiness are at stake! Peter did say that Satan walks around like a lion seeking who he can devour... 5 don't let him devour you!

And... "If the pull of the world is stronger than the faith and trust we have in the Savior, then the pull of the world will prevail every time. If we choose to focus on our negative thoughts and doubt our worth instead of clinging to the Savior, it becomes more difficult to feel the impressions of the Holy Ghost." 6

May you choose to put your trust in the Savior and stand up for the goodness and potential of yourself and others.

Well wishes, 

Ashley Marie