The Man I Long To Be

In his book, Fathered by God John Eldredge describes the man I long to be. Here are two excerpts for your consideration.

“The sage, communes with God-an existence entirely different from and utterly superior to the life of the expert. Whatever counsel he offers, he draws you to God, not to self-reliance. Oh, yes, the Sage has wisdom, gleaned from years of experience, and that wisdom is one of his great offerings. But he has learned not to lean upon his wisdom, knowing that often God is asking things of us that seem counter-intuitive, and thus his wisdom (and expertise) are fully submitted to his God. Humility might be one of the great dividing lines between the expert and the Sage, for the Sage doesn’t think he is one. “Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Prov. 26:12). Thus we might not know we have a Sage at the table, for he will remain silent while the “expert” prattle on and on.

The experts impress. The Sage draws us to God. He offers a gift of presence, the richness of a soul that has lived long with God.”¹

And

“It is a matter of presence. A Sage does not have to be heard, as a young man might, does not have to rule, and a middle age man might. There is room in his presence for who you are and where you are. There is understanding. He has no agenda, and nothing now to lose. What he offers, he offers with kindness, and discretion, knowing by instinct those who have ears to hear, and those who don’t. Thus his words are offered in the right measure, at the right time, to the right person. He will not trouble you with things you do not need to know, nor burden you with things that you are not yet yours to bear, nor embarrass you with exposure for shortcomings you are not yet ready to overcome, even though he sees all of that. For he is wise and compassionate.” ²