11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Why are young men always thinking of Ancient Rome? Why is a civilization far gone throughout history at the top of thought for so many guys? This latest Tik Tok trend reveals more than just some funny mindfulness of men in the West or a difference between men and women. It dives into the modern male’s psyche, and reveals more than what first appears.
I can promise you, it is not just Ancient Rome young men are thinking about. They think about World War II, conquistadors, crusaders of medieval times, Spartans and Alexander the Great, and of fantastical lands filled with dragons and sorcerers. They think of heroism and “destiny,” and more than that they think of beauty and toil and recognition. Young men do not think of history for the fun of it, or imagine themselves in such times merely to pass the time, they do it because there is something sorely missing in their lives today. They do it because they have no mission of life to pursue in our modern age, and look back on heroic legends, mythos and history as a daydream of a life they would like to live.
That may seem rather dramatic I am sure. But think of the young man’s life in America today. It is filled with mundane tasks done for consumerism and mindlessness. Many of them are overweight and unhealthy. Many of them lack real relationships and are either incredibly lonely or inundated with fake vanity and vices. They are told from a young age that boy behaviors are wrong, and that they should act more like girls. Their creative sparks are sequestered and burnt out and they lack any sort of adventure. Every day is the same, and they grow weary in the dull, forgetful existence they have been presented with, and thus, have accepted as the only way to live.
There is no more venturing into the wilderness to find heroism and treasure and chivalry. As role models we have false prophets like Andrew Tate who fuel in young men the ideas of worldly riches and power over women, or feminine celebrities, politicians and athletes who are nothing more than actors and phonies who teach men how to have boiler plate responses to everything and challenge them in no way. Men think of Ancient Rome so often because history is full of GREAT men to look up to, men who risked everything for God and heroism and sacrifice. It is hard to say the same for the world we live in today.
We are called every day to fight the good fight of the faith. That does not mean just going to church on Sunday, that means being a warrior for God, and becoming a hero in your own world. I think of Ancient Rome quite a bit, but more than that I think of Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings, a man that I see as the perfect embodiment of how a chivalrous man should act and live. He does what is right not for himself, but for others and for the greater good, and he risks everything he has to do so. He has more skills, good heritage and intellect than other men, but he does not use it to gain power over them, he uses it to gain knowledge and mastery over himself so he can fight for what is right. And although we can not be Aragorn slaying orcs and becoming king of Gondor, we can all take the ideals that he encapsulates, that heroes throughout history have encapsulated, that Jesus encapsulates, and put those into our own lives to fight for God and bring a real sense of adventure into our lives.
Men today think of Ancient Rome because they are missing something, but what they lack is right in front of us. It is time for all of us to become the real heroes for God we are all destined to be, and create a new string of brave and wonderful history young men will look back on in the next thousand years and think of.
-Will Witt
Thank you for writing this, Will. It is so encouraging. Although I’m not a man, it encourages me to life a life of integrity before God as well.
I can see that God is gifting you with His wisdom to live a righteous life and be a hero in your own world. You can do it, Will. You can be the Will God wants you to be! Keep fearing Him above all else. Since your desire is to become what He wants you to be, there is no way He will not give you the ability to do that. Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” When your desires are His, He will fulfill them. You are becoming that hero, you will be that hero. This is one of my favorite things you’ve written. God is with you! He is very near to His children at all times. He loves you. Praying for you!
As usual, Will, you have written an insightful essay on our times, full of truth about young men’s struggles in our world today and the necessity of following our good and faithful God!
You might find the book, Future Men: Raising Boys to Fight Giants by Douglas Wilson, a good read!
The book is available on Canon+, which is, I believe, the best Christian resource on the internet right now for young men, women, and families who are trying to follow Christ faithfully.
Will, I love reading your essays. Thank you so much for your hard work and courage, for you are a mighty man of valor yourself, who is making it his daily work to slay the lie-breathing dragons accosting our world today!
May the Lord continue to give you wisdom and courage as you serve Him in this way!❤️🙏
Isaiah 41:13
For I, the LORD your God,
hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not,
I am the one who helps you.”