Ep 687 – 1 Kings 2:1-4

What does a real man look like? What are the attributes of manliness? Every generation has had its own list but, for the most part, those lists almost always include a rugged independence, the search for power, a need for control, bravery in the face of danger, and a pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps mentality. But when David prepared to hand over his kingdom to his son, Solomon, he shared some dramatically different concepts about manliness and manhood. In David's mind, a real man was a godly man. He had a heart for God and willingness to submit to the will of God, no matter what. Rather than pridefully independent, he would be humbly dependent upon God. He would recognize that his strength came from God and his life was to bring glory and honor to God. Like any father, David wanted to see his son succeed in life, but he knew that the key to that happening was directly tied to Solomon's reliance upon God.