This is Part One of a four part series called “When I Became A Man“.

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child… When I became a man…”

I gave up making excuses and blame shifting and started taking responsibility.

I gave up vague apologies and got specific about what I was sorry for and what I did wrong and asked for forgiveness.

I gave up just “talking the talk” and started “walking the walk”.

I gave up just talking about work and started working quietly.

I gave up aimless, foolish talk and started talking about Christ and the Kingdom.

I gave up only talking about myself and started asking questions and listening to others.

I gave up tearing down people with words and started using words to build people up.

I gave up speaking at any time and started knowing when to speak.

I gave up talking to women like I talk to one of the guys and started talking to them as women.

I gave up selfish, flirtatious talk and started talking to women with dignity and respect.

I gave up talking to women as sex objects and started talking to women as queens.

I gave up using words to perpetuate the lies that women believe and started using my words to fight for them to be free.

I gave up being silent around men who treat women poorly and started speaking up to confront them.

I gave up letting someone else be my wife’s main pastor and started pastoring my wife.

I gave up talking harsh to my wife and started talking gently in an understanding way.

I gave up being silent about how I feel about my kids and started affirming them.

I gave up letting someone else be my kid’s pastor and started pastoring my children.

I gave up weak speech and started speaking strongly.

I gave up being silent and started speaking the truth in love.

I gave up fearful, compromising speech and started speaking courageously.

I gave up insecure speech and started speaking with confidence and conviction.

I gave up breaking my word and started keeping my word, even when it hurts.

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child… When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” 1 Cor 13:11

(Image Credit: National Library of Australia)