Fight the Good Fight: A Call to Biblical Manhood

By: Coach Kirk Hoza
Men have been given the call by God to be the head of their families, but what does this actually look like? This Father’s Day, CCA’s Head Football Coach, Kirk Hoza, shares powerful takeaways on how dads can rise up and be the men God has called them to be.

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Happy Father’s Day! What a humbling title. God’s call to us as men to be the head of our household is both a great blessing and an incredible challenge. Who could possibly measure up to fill the role of Father? Not me.

Thankfully, God has not left us on our own to fulfill this calling. He has given us specific instructions and counsel to help us with every aspect of our roles as men. Scripture is chock-full of foundational teaching and loving reminders of how to go about our journey. God has also made it clear to us that the road will be full of challenges, and we will – like Him – endure some suffering.
Thankfully, God has not left us on our own to fulfill this calling.
One God-fearing man we are all familiar with is Job. His suffering was severe at times. And what did God tell Job before He questioned him? God told Job to gird up, brace himself, tighten his belt, and answer “like a man!”

Exodus 15:3 says, “The LORD is a warrior. Yahweh is His name.” The God we serve is a warrior, and Genesis 1:27 tells us we were made in this Warrior’s image. We were designed to be warriors. So, what does that have to do with being an earthly Father? Let’s look at some of the counsel we find in Scripture.

  1. Persevere and Stay the Course 

    Foremost among the biblical lessons for us as fathers is to never, ever quit. 

    Galatians 6:9 tells us, “Let us not become weary in doing good.” 2 Corinthians 4 also talks about how we may feel pressured, perplexed, persecuted and struck down, but we do not quit.  Paul goes on to say in verse 16, “Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day.” 

    Being the leader of our homes is not for the faint of heart. We stay the course because godly fathers finish the race.

  2. Surrender to Refinement in Humility

    Secondly, the Bible informs us that God disciplines those he loves in order to sanctify them (Hebrews 12:5-11). So dads, surrender in humility to God’s refining process and allow him to mold you into the man he’s called you to be.

    As we accompany our football players on their journey to becoming godly men (and Lord willing godly fathers one day), we’ve made it our mission to instill these call to actions:

    1) Reject Passivity
    2) Accept Responsibility
    3) Lead Courageously
    4) Wait on Greater Reward

    The process is not always pretty, but we know the final product will be. It has been true for our student-athletes, and it will be true for you as well. 

    Proverbs 27:17 gives us a glimpse into what this refining process looks, feels, sounds, and smells like. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Envision a metal file removing the rough edges and imperfections from another piece of metal. 

    Can you hear the metal grinding and grating against one other? Can you see the sparks and feel the heat? Can you smell the odor as the abrasive particles and flaws are slowly removed? It’s not an attractive picture, is it? And yet, it is forming something glorious!  

  3. Fight for Your Family

    You may not see it in the day-to-day as you fight for your marriage, but it’s in those difficult places that God shows us how humbling ourselves, listening, loving our bride unconditionally, and not quitting will bring us through to the other side.

    The fruit is visible and beautiful when our children pass the tests life throws at them, making our chests swell with a humble pride as the tests get harder and they continue to pass them: when they make it to the graduation stage, when they land their first job, when they find their forever spouse and boldly proclaim before God and witnesses, “Till death do us part.”

    Even when they fail, we will still see fruit, because we know that those failures are opportunities for our children to grow. 

As we diligently apply the Bible’s wisdom to our daily lives and lead our homes, we will see our children put into practice a valuable lesson our heavenly Father taught us – that He never quits on us. Our families will experience His unconditional love for us and the truth that He will always be there for us. 

So Dad, like our Savior, don’t quit. Fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. Our families are counting on it.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

 
Author Bio:
Coach Kirk Hoza is in his 40th year of coaching, having coached 23 years at the collegiate level at Divisions I, II, and III. His career record at Calvary is 84-41. The Eagles have made six consecutive appearances in the FHSAA playoffs and have twice advanced to the Regional Final. Coach Hoza holds a B.S. in Education from Slippery Rock University and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Louisville. Coach has been married to his wife Sara for 32 years. They have two sons and two grandsons.

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