What it takes to be a man

What would you do if someone walks up to you with this demand. Show yourself a man?
The natural inclination will be to do something daring that proofs 'yeah! You are the man'.
No one wants to feel berated or regarded as a weakling. Not in a culture that encourages everyone to proof how tough they are.
Sadly though the quest for feeling important and tough has driven a lot of people -youths especially into victims of evil vices.
Solomon was a young guy like most of us who ascended the throne of Israel at a time when everyone like Adonijah and co wanted to lay claim to the throne. He(Solomon) eventually became king and we know the rest of the story.
As a young man it would have been natural for him to seek to establish his throne by ordering the outright execution of all those he perceived as threats to his rule but he chose to rather follow the advice of his father David.
To be a man David said is to "...observe what the Lord requires:walk in his steps and keep his decrees and commands..." (1 Kings 2:2-3).
That was all that Solomon needed. What a tremendous difference it made in his life rather than seeking to show himself to be someone he's really not.
We don't have to proof anything to anybody. All we need is obedience to Gods word like Solomon did. That will solve all of our problems.