What About Those Alpha Males?

Some are born leaders—their voice and raw physical traits always land them on top. There are those of whom it can be truly said, “he never took a back seat to anyone.”  Perhaps such raw leadership works best in more physical fields: battle or sports or law enforcement.  George Washington, Billy Graham, and Robert E. Lee are examples.

Others lead well with no physicality but because they possess exactly the gifts required by a given field. Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon, and FDR are examples of men who became powerful leaders in spite of an unimpressive appearance or physical limitations.  Few would call Lincoln or Napoleon alpha males—yet their leadership abilities are beyond question.  Perhaps “alpha male” is a metaphor best left to the wolf-pack research from which it comes.  Human society is too complex, rightly elevating men based not on brute strength but on more sophisticated qualities.

Consider Goliath, Saul, and David.  Goliath is 9 feet tall, with a neck like a bull and a voice like a lion. Israel’s army cowers before Goliath for 40 days.  Then there’s Saul: the handsome king stands a head taller than everyone in Israel (6’6” maybe?). He had been king long enough to be confident—but he fears Goliath—and with good reason.

Then there’s David. He’s young, thin, a delicate boy with pretty eyes. Worse, he’s a shepherd. He sits in the grass, petting lambs and writing POETRY!  He plays lullabies for the king.  He’s a singer, a musician, a poet.  As my buddy Chris would say, he’s “artsy-fartsy.”  What can David do?  What can this child with the tender heart of an artist offer?  (What did God think of David’s tender, artistic heart?)

Of course, David defeated Goliath, became history’s most celebrated warrior, and eventually replaced Saul as king. Though he led thousands of men in battle, God loved David’s tender heart, even describing him as “a man after God’s own heart” 1 Samuel 13:14. 

Don’t strive to be an alpha male. Strive to be a man after God’s own heart.

God, fill us with tender hearts.  Give us hearts like yours.

ΑΩ