The word of God says,

“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” Romans 12:3 ESV

The above verse shows one of our inherent sinful tendencies. Observing our surroundings, we often harbor the thought, “Oh, no one can compare with me. I am exceptionally virtuous and knowledgeable.” This tendency is present in all individuals, including Christians. The above verse instructs us to evaluate ourselves with “sober judgment.” Sober judgment means maintaining an “objective perspective” when assessing ourselves, genuinely acknowledging both our weaknesses and strengths.

Is this a challenging task?

You bet it is because we all are fallen creatures and we easily get deceived and become blind to our sins.

By the way, we are continuing from the last post in the series we started a few weeks ago on mentoring and nurturing a young man in the wisdom teachings of the word of God.

In our previous discussion, we explored the importance of a young man distancing himself from negative influences, “bad companions,” and how wisdom assisted him in recognizing and avoiding such detrimental associations.

In today’s post, we observe how the wisdom of God provides advice and encouragement for a young man to cultivate meaningful friendships with other Christian men.

So, as we read the above Scripture, it is crucial for a young Christian man to recognize himself as one member of Christ’s body. When such a young Christian man fellowship with like-minded believers, collectively constituting one part of Christ’s body, he safeguards himself from the inclination to believe that he is a commendable Christian in ISOLATION. This tendency to view oneself as a superior Christian, while living a lifestyle that fails to glorify God and lacks honor, dissipates when the young man lives a Christian life as part of a community.

Just as the term “humble-brag” is an oxymoron, so is the concept of a “lone Christian.”

The word of God say,

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. . . For the body does not consist of one member but of many. . . Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:12, 14, 27 ESV

You know what this and the other passages of the Bible are saying to us?

You cannot live a Christian life as if you, by yourself, are the body of Christ but live as the member of the body of Christ. Imagine, for instance, being the stomach in a human body, can you, the stomach, survive this life if you decide to live outside of the body?

Obviously not!

The same is true for “a lone Christian.”

Therefore, as part of mentoring and grooming a young man in the wisdom of the word of God, it is very important to instill this crucial truth of God at an early age of a young man’s life. If, for instance, you are a mother of a young man, you must first ensure that you are not a “lone Christian.” Instead, be a Christian who understands the benefits of being part of the body of Christ, fostering close relationships and fellowship with other Christian mothers. This is called living a Christian life in a local church with other Christians. If you are in such a position, you are well-equipped to mentor your young son in developing meaningful relationships with other Christian men.

Paul writes to the young pastor, Pastor Timothy, saying,

“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22 ESV

The key expression in the above verse is “along with those.” Paul advises Timothy, despite being a minister of the Lord, to avoid being a solitary minister but instead to be an integral member of the body of Christ.

Why?

Living a Christian life alone is not just challenging; it is outright impossible!

The challenge lies in the fact that it is not inherent for a young man to naturally have one or two male friends in his life with whom he can openly share his struggles and engage in prayer.

Could Timothy read Paul’s letter and replies to him, “This task seems challenging. I find comfort and peace in doing life independently, by myself. I mean, I have friends, but asking them to pray for me and sharing with them my struggles? That seems a bit overwhelming! No, I cannot do that.”

He simply cannot if he has a biblical understanding of what a Christian is.

At times, mothers may willingly take on the role of being their son’s best friend. Does this align with the objective we aim to accomplish in a young man’s life? Not in the slightest!

Once our children reach adulthood and if we find ourselves attending the same local church, we can assume the role of their accountability partners as fellow Christians. However, during the phase of raising them in the wisdom of the word of God, it is crucial to recall that our primary role in their lives is to be exemplary Christians for them to emulate (Proverbs 22:6), rather than aiming to be their friends.

This seemingly minor facet of a Christian life can wield a substantial impact on our sons’ Christianity, similar to the contrast between day and night. This singular element possesses the potential to mold young men into genuine followers of Christ, if not, they become superficial Christians who speak Christianize while dishonoring God in both their words and actions- – – Contd. ///