Time to Man Up!

My boss, the vice-president of our division, gave the book Man Up: 21 Lessons Every Man Needs to Know about Manhood as a Christmas gift to his managers and supervisors. If he found this book to be worthy of distribution, then there must be something to it. And there is.

In an age of toxic masculinity, it is high time to rediscover true manhood not just for the workplace, but for the other areas of a man's sphere. (If you are a woman, the book is still relevant so you can know what to look for in a man, be it boss or significant other.)

Man Up is a refreshing voice in the wilderness. Author Dr. Tan cries out “Where are the real men in our society today?” Then he offers answers not just through this book, but through a movement that waxes strong to this day.

The book is divided into five major topics: purpose, character, courage, wisdom and leadership. These five topics are expounded among 21 chapters. The author chose the number 21 as it is the coming of age for men in many cultures.

As per his bio, Dr. Tan considers himself a practical theologian and pastor. He is being modest.

Academically, he holds four degrees to date, including a PhD in Intercultural Studies from the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Illinois, USA). He has also written missiological studies for highly esteemed theological publications. He is part of the teaching faculty of the Asia Graduate School of Theology, as well as Project Leader of GPro Commission for Training of Pastors.

Make no mistake: this man is an intellectual heavyweight seasoned by a pastoral heart.

This makes Man Up a book to be savored and applied. The style is engaging and non-preachy. I recommend two readings. The first is a skim-through to capture the gist and flavor. The second on a more reflective mode to let the lessons sink in.

The chapter titles are witty, foreshadowing the tons of wisdom packed in that chapter. Examples which caught my eye are:

· “Enjoy the View but Pay Attention to the Road”

· “Aspire to Be Respected, Not Feared”

· “Work Wiser, Not Harder”

· “Real Men Don’t Say Sorry; They Apologize”

· “Never Throw Away a Good Crisis”

(My favorite is “Real Men Eat Ice Cream and Take Naps” for obvious reasons.)

The chapter title serves as a proposition, creatively stated, about manhood which Dr. Tan supports with well-chosen quotes, excerpts, stories and Biblical passages. I commend his transparency when he narrated how he was wrongfully maligned in church, lost his preaching voice and had to haul rice to make ends meet. (I always think PhDs use their bodies to carry their brains around, not grains.)

The book serves as a trustworthy resource in that at the end of each chapter, there are two sets of questions. One set is for personal reflection, the other for group discussion. Dr. Tan believes manhood is pursued in a community. A tribe of warriors, if you will.

A man's identity is a central concern in Dr. Tan's work. Check out Chapter 4, "Measure Yourself by God’s Standards, Not by Other’s" as well as snippets such as “embrace our calling as the man that God has called us to be” (page xv) and “the Fatherhood of God where manhood is defined and expressed” (page 198).

While Dr. Tan seems to intend Man Up as a mentor for countless fathers and sons desperate to learn what it means to be a man, the case can be made its timeless principles equally apply to the factory worker and the CEO. We have seen so many pictures of what a real man is not, in media, literature, politics, social circles and even church. It is high time we have a clear idea of what a real man looks and sounds like.

For that, we owe Dr. Tan a real man’s debt.

To learn more about the author, go to https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/jason-richard-tan-94108236/

To order this book, go to https://csm-publishing.com/selected/books/216?Man%20Up:%2021%20Lessons%20Every%20Man%20Needs%20to%20Know%20about%20Manhood. It is also available via Shopee and Lazada.

About the Reviewer: Nelson T. Dy is an author, speaker and trainer on career, relationship, and spirituality issues. His day job is being an Assistant Vice-President running two factories for a well-known beverage conglomerate. He is among the Top 100 Filipinos to follow on Linkedin in 2021.

Follow Nelson at https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/nelsontdy/ as he continues to share his insights through posts such as the one you just enjoyed.