Why some men are passive, and how to do something about it

Biblical faithfulness is neither frantic activity nor selfish ambition, but disciplined obedience directed toward the glory of God. Or, as I often put it, a long obedience in the right direction.

One of the current pastoral concerns in our day is the epidemic of passivity among men. By and large, our denomination (the CREC) attracts highly ambitious individuals (singles and heads of households). These men start their own businesses, climb the corporate ladder, work hard as unto the Lord, and serve as examples in the community of piety and productivity. In some ways, it’s inbuilt into the post-millennial vision, and the underlying Puritan work ethic we preach from the pulpit and in pew conversations. Yet there are those in our communion and outside of it who fall prey to a certain malaise that seems to accompany them wherever they go and whatever job they may have. The source of such lethargy may be the absence of fathers, or even passive fathers, who transmit a vision of contentment with the status quo.

Some men have justified their lack of godly ambition for piety—or worse, accepted passivity as the defining mark of modern manhood. However, Scripture presents a very different vision. Right from the beginning, Adam was placed in the garden “to work it and keep it” (Gen. 2:15). Man was created to cultivate, guard, build, and exercise responsible dominion under God. Passivity is not humility. It’s not some mystical quietism; neither is neglect a rationale for biblical meekness. Instead, a refusal to act is often a refusal to embrace the responsibilities God has assigned.

But faithful men act. They build, pursue, lead, learn, and take responsibility. The book of Proverbs repeatedly contrasts the diligent man with the sluggard. “The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor” (Prov. 12:24). Paul likewise exhorts believers to be “not slothful in zeal” but “fervent in spirit” as they serve the Lord (Rom. 12:11). Biblical faithfulness is neither frantic activity nor selfish ambition, but disciplined obedience directed toward the glory of God. Or, as I often put it, a long obedience in the right direction.

Time, Disposition, and Curiosity

To do that well, men need three things: time, disposition, and curiosity. I am certain that other elements can be added, but these seem to be crucial in the formation of fruitful men in the kingdom of God:

a) Make time. Making time means refusing to live perpetually at the mercy of distraction. A passive man says he does not have time when he has often simply failed to govern the time God has given him. He drifts from obligation to entertainment, from one notification to another, and then wonders why nothing substantial has been accomplished. Faithful men learn to order their days, protect their priorities, and give sustained attention to the duties before them. Paul commands Christians to walk carefully, “making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15–16). Time is not merely something we possess; it is something entrusted to us. It’s something men must steward.

b) Cultivate the right disposition. Disposition matters because ambition without character becomes vanity, aggression, or self-promotion. The right disposition is marked by humility, courage, gratitude, and a willingness to be corrected. It is not enough for a man to be active; he must be active in the right direction and for the right reasons. As I have written over these last few years, there are active men pursuing wretched causes. In their cases, they are running productively towards their own destruction.

But Christian ambition seeks the glory of God, the good of one’s household, and the strengthening of the church and community. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Col. 3:23). The Christian man does not work merely to be seen, praised, or promoted, but because his labor is rendered before the face of God. And that is sufficient encouragement towards fruitfulness.

c) Stay curious. Curiosity keeps a man from becoming stagnant. A curious man asks questions, learns new skills, studies the world God has made, and seeks wisdom from men who have gone before him. He meets with other men to learn from them and to be inspired by them. He doesn’t assume that ignorance is a virtue or that competence belongs only to specialists. He is a happy generalist. He reads, listens, observes, experiments, and grows. Curiosity turns obstacles into problems to be solved rather than excuses for remaining still. Solomon says, “Let the wise hear and increase in learning” (Prov. 1:5). Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, but it does not end in intellectual lethargy. It produces a lifelong desire to understand God’s Word, God’s world, and one’s vocation.

Cheerful Responsibility Before God

This kind of godly action will look different from man to man. Not every faithful man will start a business, lead an institution, or occupy a prominent office. But every man has been given people to love, duties to fulfill, sins to mortify, and good works to pursue. The parable of the talents teaches that servants are not judged by whether they received identical gifts, but by whether they faithfully used what the master entrusted to them (Matt. 25:14–30). Again, the issue is not prominence, but stewardship.

But the opposite of passivity is not holding online celebrity status or being constantly active. This is not a game for most airline mileage. It is cheerful responsibility before God, before his wife, children, or father and mother. A faithful man does not need to be the loudest man in the room, but he should be ready to bear burdens, protect the vulnerable, provide for those entrusted to him, and take initiative when action is needed. He’s the individual setting up the sanctuary before the service and putting things away afterward. He should aspire, as Paul says, “to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands” (1 Thess. 4:11). Biblical masculinity combines quiet faithfulness with energetic obedience.

Men must also recognize that passivity is rarely overcome by inspiration or pep talks alone. It’s not the kind of thing stirred by YouTube influencers. It is overcome through repentance, discipline, brotherhood, and repeated acts of obedience. Fathers must train their sons to take responsibility. Older men must teach younger men what is good. Pastors must call men not merely to avoid scandalous sins, but to reject laziness, indecision, cowardice, and neglect. “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Cor. 16:13–14).

Make time. Cultivate the right disposition. Stay curious.

Then get to work.