Episode 271 – Men With Chests

What does it mean to be a man with a chest in today's world? This episode of Mavericks & Misfits takes us to 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, where we receive four clear directives: be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, and be strong—all while letting everything we do be done in love. Drawing from C.S. Lewis's observation that our culture makes men without chests yet expects virtue and enterprise from them, we're challenged to examine how decades of cultural messaging have neutered biblical masculinity. The call isn't about toxic aggression or domineering behavior—it's about reclaiming the God-ordained design for manhood that includes strength, decisiveness, protection, and sacrificial love. We're invited to become realistic men who open our eyes to the spiritual battles around us, resolved men who stand firm in our faith without wavering, and retro men who aren't afraid to embrace biblical masculinity even when culture calls it outdated. The safeguard against toxic masculinity isn't feminization—it's love. When we look at Jesus, we see a man who cried, lamented, protected, sacrificed, confronted sin, and even overturned tables in righteous anger. His masculinity was never toxic because it was always rooted in love. This message calls us to repentance and action, challenging both men to step into their God-given roles and women to create space for men to lead, even imperfectly at first.