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Since biblical times, Hebrew culture has placed a great deal of significance upon the point in a young boy’s life when he transitions from youth to manhood. In addition to a variety of ceremonies and parties that are held to recognize this passage or milestone in a young mans life, older men or elders from the community are often asked to provide a special challenge to those who are on the verge of manhood. Such challenges or exhortations are commonly aimed at equipping young adults with the biblical and practical wisdom that they will need to escape the trails and temptations that are part of growing up in a fallen world.

The old custom or tradition of deliberately recognizing and equipping young men for the riggers of manhood, however, is not limited to those of Hebrew society. A number of Christian parents have begun to put this time-honored practice into their family routine as well.

I recently had the honor of being asked to write a letter of exhortation and encouragement to my Christian nephew who is entering his teen years. The text listed below is what the Lord laid upon my heart to share with this young man. This letter is not provided as a blueprint for others to follow, as much as for the purpose of encouraging other Christian families to begin incorporating this type of activity into their family routine.

Dear Eric,

It has been a delight to see you grow over the years from a little boy to a young man. May the Lord richly bless you as you turn thirteen. As your uncle, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage and challenge you as you move towards manhood.

I trust that you have come to the place in your life where you can truly appreciate all of the love, care, and sacrifice that has been made on your behalf by loving parents and friends. As you grow into manhood, I am confident that you will discover how vital it is for you to show forth a spirit of gratefulness to Almighty God for His many blessings. It has been my observation that even godly men are too often guilty of failing to express their appreciation to God and to others on a regular basis. I well remember Mr. Sherman telling me years ago what his mother used to say regarding the need to express love while the door of opportunity is open: “Give me the flowers, Michael, while I can still smell them,” she would say. Never let an opportunity pass you by to express your thankfulness to others. (Psalm 100:4, Romans 1:21, Colossians 3:15)

Make the effort to develop yourself physically, and strive by the grace of God to be a good steward of your body. Do not neglect, however, to strengthen yourself spiritually for a healthy soul is profitable in all aspects of life. Spiritual strength cannot be developed apart from the gracious work of the Holy Spirit and godly discipline. Any champion in sports or life will quickly tell you that success is born out of diligence, a commitment to excellence, and practicing the fundamentals. The Christian life is no different. You will develop into a spiritually strong adult as a direct result of your willingness to establish and practice virtuous habits in your youth. What are some of the key habits that you need to be spiritually strong? You need to be a prayer warrior. You need to spend time daily in the Word of God; and you must walk humbly in the fear of the Lord, and not of men.

I would also like to challenge you to set a guard before your eyes so that you would refuse to look upon things that are not pure or praiseworthy. Never forget that your testimony for Christ can be quickly undermined as you give in to the temptation to look upon things that are not wholesome and uplifting. Men like Solomon, David, and Samson pierced themselves through with many sorrows as they looked upon things that were not edifying. Don’t let the world, or even your companions, determine what is good for your eyes to look upon. Follow the leading of God the Holy Spirit in such matters, and follow the example of Joseph who ran far away from temptation and youthful lusts at the first possible moment.

In closing, let me encourage you to pick your friends well, for it is better to be alone than in bad company. Be harder on yourself than you are on others as you take your place in the world of men, and never forget that he who humbles himself shall be exalted in due time. Ask God to help you mature to the point where you can properly discern when to laugh and when to cry, and always remember that all things will work together for your good as you place your hope and trust in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I leave you with these words of exhortation: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 15:58

Your friend,
Uncle Mike

Christian teens today are under tremendous stress and pressure to conform to the image of this world, rather than Christ. It is going to take the efforts of every adult member of the Christian community, both parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, to help guard and guide the next generation of young men to the point of godly maturity. For this reason, now is the time to begin the tradition of speaking wisdom and godly counsel into the lives of those who are on the verge of manhood. The Bible states plainly that where there is no vision the people perish. (Proverbs 29:18) If our Christian teens are going to overcome the fiery darts of the wicked one, they will need to be given a clear vision by those in the Christian community of how to stand firm in the faith. May Almighty God help us all to do are part as adults, and particularly as men.

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