Have you read the book titled “Be a Man! Becoming the Man God Created You to Be” by Father Larry Richards? If not, here are the thirty tasks you must accomplish to help you become the man you were created to be. Here they are:
1. Be a man who lives with your end in mind. Write down what you want God and others to say about you when you die. These should be your new goals in life. Now set up a plan on what you need to do to reach these goals. Be practical!
2. Be a man who knows God. If you do not know God yet, then decide today that you are going to go and do whatever it takes to get to know Him. Do not wait, life is short, and eternity is forever!
3. Be a man of prayer. Commit yourself to spend at least five minutes a day with God in prayer for the rest of your life beginning today.
4. Be a man who lives as beloved son. Be still and let God embrace you as His son. As He spoke to Jesus, let Him speak to you. “You are my beloved son” After spending time in His embrace, respond to Him and take five minutes to pray “Our Father” from the depth of your being to your Father who is with you.
5. Be a man who reads the Bible. Decide to spend time reading Scripture every day, for it is here that God will speak to you and revel His will to you. Live “No Bible, no breakfast, no Bible, no bed!”
6. Be a man who listens more than he talks. This begins with your relationship with God. Never leave your prayer time without giving time to silence.
7. Be a man who repents. Make a good examination of conscience and if you are Catholic make good confession. No excuses!
8. Be a man who fights against temptations with God’s word. After you have discovered your core sins, look up verses in the Bible and commit them to memory so you can defeat temptations when they arise.
9. Be a man who daily strives to grow in your manhood. Make a nightly examination of conscience and commit yourself to go to confession at least once a month.
10. Be a man who daily surrenders to the Holy Spirit. Make a commitment to say a daily prayer of submission to the Holy Spirit!
11. Be a man who uses the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Reflect on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and ask God to help you use them in your life. Take one gift each day for the next seven days and humbly ask God for that Gift.
12. Be a man who “fans into a flame” the fire of the Holy Spirit within you. Find a friend, or a priest or a deacon, and ask him to pray over you that you would fully receive and open your heart to the gift of God’s Spirit.
13. Be a man who is strong. Take responsibility for your life and your past. No blaming others. You got where you are because of your actions and decisions and now you can move forward with God’s grace by making better decisions.
14. Be a man who is pure of heart. Deal with your lust by inviting Christ into the center of your struggle.
15. Be a man of service. Write out the words. “I am third” on a piece of paper and place it where you will see it every day and try to live it.
16. Be a man of generosity. Start tithing and taking care of the poor and your parish.
17. Be a man who tells the people you love that you love them. Write a letter to your family members telling them how much you love them and then commit yourself to tell them that every day for the rest of your life.
18. Be a man who loves your enemies. Start praying for them and asking God to love them through you.
19. Be a man who is wise. Look at life through God’s eyes and not the world’s eyes. Read Philippians chapter 2. Strive to live your life this way.
20. Be a man of obedience. Start each day asking God what He wants and then obey Him and do it.
21. Be a man who seeks to please God. Too many people are concerned about what others think of them, don’t be one of those people.
22. Be a man who is a spiritual leader. Take spiritual authority in your family and lead by example. Have a daily prayer time with your family.
23. Be a man who needs other men. Find men who will challenge you to grow in the Lord and make you a better man.
24. Be a man who invites God into your sexuality. If you are married, pray with your spouse, especially before sexual intimacy.
25. Be a man who strives to be a saint. Ask God for the grace to grow in your holiness.
26. Be a man of devotion. What religious practices is God calling you to start doing? Be specific and begin doing them.
27. Be a man who prays and loves. The world must know that you love the Father. This is done by praying and loving, living it.
28. Be a man who becomes another Christ like. Spend time with Jesus reading the Gospels and write down the qualities of manhood that He possessed and ask Him to make them your own.
29. Be a man who lives God’s vision for your life and the world. Then live this vision with passion.
30. Be a man who changes the world one person at a time. Make a list of people you know who do not know Jesus and then pray for them and finally tell them about Jesus.