The Men of Iron Minute
by Chad Zueck | Director of Content Creation
When You Stand, Others Will Stand Too
As men of faith, we often find ourselves caught between our faith and the powerful influences of our ever-changing world. Choosing sides on every debatable issue is exhausting, but we stand up and speak up when those issues conflict with our faith. There are a plethora of gems in the Old Testament. We can find valuable lessons in ancient stories like in Ezra 10:1. It sheds light on the delicate balancing act required to uphold our Christian values while facing the dynamic influences surrounding us. For men trying to employ their influence with wisdom, we gather around Ezra as if huddling around a fire after an evening hunt.
Ezra, a priest and writer, is the main character in the storyline, and he gets worked up about Jewish guys marrying foreign women. In our modern setting, this story highlights the importance of sticking to our Christian beliefs when encountering a melting pot of ideas and practices that might challenge our faith. Think of Ezra’s distress as similar to our own concerns about holding onto our Christian identity in a world that uses words like tolerance and inclusion as a battering ram of conformity. Just like Ezra, we’ve got to figure out how to strike a balance between our faith and the external stuff that’s happening around us every day.
While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him.
They too wept bitterly. Ezra 10:1, NIV84[1]
Ezra 10:1 isn’t just about who’s marrying whom; it’s more about the bigger picture of staying true to our Christian values and the impact your stance may have on others. When Ezra prays and opens up about his doubts, it’s a reminder that we need to remain committed to our faith even when we’re exposed to all sorts of different ideas. Turning to prayer, being open about our doubts, and staying humble when challenged by the norms around us are all super important.
When Ezra and the people cry their hearts out, it’s a sign of how tough it can be to stick to our Christian values in a constantly changing world. We all go through these inner struggles, and it’s essential to be open about them. In our modern lives, we can relate to Ezra’s concerns and our challenges. It might mean making ethical decisions, bringing our faith into our work, or dealing with tricky moral situations in our relationships.
Ezra’s response to the issue of intermarriage gives us a roadmap for handling the influences we encounter. Furthermore, Ezra 10:1 teaches us the delicate art of keeping our Christian identity intact while living in a world filled with pagan ideas and practices. It shows us how influence affects our lives and how we can stand strong in our faith while dealing with the challenges of our ever-changing world.
Stand up for what you believe in.
You will inspire others to stand too.
Be a mentor.
Find a mentor.
Be a better man.
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Ezr 10:1.
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