The First Step is not with Your Foot

A couple of years ago, we hiked to Gregory Bald in the Smoky Mountains. Gregory Bald has a breath-taking array of flame azaleas that are in full bloom in June. People from all over the world make this hike during June. It was awe inspiring when we took the last step, reached the top, and took in the beauty. It’s about a 12 mile hike. That’s about 26,000 steps. But in order to take the last step and enjoy the view, we had to take the first step. We had to get out of the car, put on our packs, and take the first step. There is an old saying that goes something like this: A journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step. Every journey has a starting point.

What does it mean to be a real man? When we consider that question, we often only think about the end of the journey. But this journey also begins with the first step. The first step in this journey is not taken with your foot but with your knee. You must bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Salvation is the first necessary step to being a godly man. You must come to the Lord as a sinner. You must realize that your sins separate you from God. You must believe that Jesus died for our sins and that He rose from the dead. You must turn from your own way of doing things (repent) and trust in Jesus alone for salvation. We seem to have the mistaken notion that real men are those who never surrender. They will never give in. But the truth is that you can’t be a real man unless you surrender your life to Jesus Christ. The first step in the journey to being a godly man is that you must become a new man in Jesus. You must be surrendered. You must bow the knee. Is your faith in Jesus Christ? Have you bowed the knee?

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