Men. Intelligent. ^{™
© 2013}

 

Challenge #41

Don’t start before completing Challenge #40.
If you want to join the IntelliMen Project, start from Challenge #1.

 

Challenge: Offer help to a man who needs it.

Explanation: Consider this challenge an extension of the last, where you asked for help. This time you’re going to invert things: offer help to a friend, family member or colleague in need.

Because of male pride, like we’ve already mentioned, many men put on a brave face when they’re actually dying, bit by bit, at the point of a sword. They suffer quietly, and don’t seek out help. At times you can clearly tell that a guy is suffering, and yet he will still not ask for help. Other times you can’t even tell. Some guys are so good at hiding the problem, that by the time you go to check on him, he’s already dead. It can be as tragic as that.

Look at what King Solomon said about this:

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
Proverbs 27:17

In the past men were familiar with the process of sword making. When they heard this proverb, they knew exactly what it was talking about. Making a sword requires the use of iron instruments to sharpen the iron blade. Hammering, heating, filing, rubbing and polishing (thousands of times) were all part of the slow and careful process of transforming a piece of iron into a powerful sword, that was sharp, shining and ready to be used by a warrior.

Men are also formed in this manner. Men who are tested and approved as they mature, later become instruments in the hands of God and are used to mold and improve others. This process can involve rebukes, being confronted, even an aggressive talking-to, all very natural in a man-to-man conversation, and necessary components if we want to mold a raw piece of iron into a powerful sword.

Thanks to various men of God that were used, and continue to be used, I am the IntelliMan I am today. What about you? Could you be an instrument in God’s hands and help someone to improve?

Your challenge this week is to identify a man in your family, circle of friends or colleagues that needs help. I want you to humbly but firmly help this man in the best way you can, for his own good. He may need advice, a rebuke, a warning, or someone to listen to him. He may need encouragement, or he may need for you to reach out your hand and help him out of the hole he’s in (addiction, marriage problem, unemployment, etc.). But before you do anything, understand that throwing money at a problem is rarely the best approach; we need to teach other men to help themselves. Think of the most efficient way you can be of help.

Be careful. Don’t use this as an opportunity to tell somebody off and act superior, etc. If the man you are going to help needs to be rebuked, then do it. But your help should be given with a humble spirit — and of course, the other person will also need to be humble to accept the help. But if your man rejects the help, that’s not your problem. Your obstacle is to overcome the hurdles of embarrassment and the fear of offending.

Notebook: Here are some suggestions to help you identify a man who needs help. Make a list of all the friends, colleagues, and family members that come mind. The more the better. Then, for every name on the list, try to remember the personal battles that each person has gone through and if any one of them ever exhibited signs that he might need help. Put a mark next to the names that might need help, then choose one and complete your challenge.

Official Partner: You might decide to help your partner. If so, go ahead. Also be open to the fact that he may see that you need help in some area. Be humble to listen and learn.

Deadline: You may begin working on this challenge immediately and complete it before Challenge #42 which you should begin in a week.

Post: After – and only after – you have completed the challenge, post your comments on the IntelliMenWorld Facebook or Twitter page, (not on your own page) and write the following:

IntelliMen Challenge #41 done: I was an instrument that was used to help someone. (Add any other additional comments.)

 

Links:

www.facebook.com/IntelliMenWorld

www.twitter.com/intellimenworld (when tweeting, use @intelliMenworld)

 

 

Verification Checklist

☐ I identified someone who needs help
☐ I offered help to that person
☐ I wrote about it in my notebook
☐ My partner and I spoke about the challenge
☐ I posted my comments on Facebook/Twitter

 

 

Phrase:

No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you. — Althea Gibson