The Standard
The Standard: Discovering Jesus as the Standard for Masculinity, Josh Khachadourian (Self-published, Khachadourian, 2020)
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? This is the question that popped into my mind when I picked up Josh Khachadourian’s self-improvement manual for men entitled, The Standard: Discovering Jesus as the Standard for Masculinity.” Has Khachadourian captured the unique essence of Jesus of Nazareth and discovered how it redefines masculinity and the role of males in life and creation? Or has he identified important characteristics of success for men and used the stories of Jesus to show how Jesus displayed these same characteristics? Sadly, at least from my point of view, the book is the latter.
Having written this, I must point out the book has several good points. The book is a solid self-improvement book for men. Khachadourian addresses issues about which men are concerned. The book contains a lot of good advice, and it is a wealth of information. Khachadourian writes in a strong, concise, easy-to-read manner, which is appealing to men. If members of his audience have only a passing acquaintance with Jesus, they will be exposed to more stories about Jesus and gain greater knowledge of the historical figure. Khachadourian also advocates for men to lead lives of faith—to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Jesus is more than a role model for success, however. The Son of Man invites men (and all people) to a radically different new life in God’s kingdom. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer has written, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Readers will not find this Jesus in Khachadourian’s book. Missing is the man who reached out to the marginalized and stands with the outcasts—the sick, poor, lepers, women, and Gentiles. The Jesus who stood against the corruption and injustice of political and religious institutions (yet refused to take up arms) is no where to be found. The Jesus who called his disciples to follow him on a journey with no destination is not in this book. Jesus’ command (simply) to love one another—anyone, everyone, every time, all the time, is only hinted.
If you want to read a good self-improvement book, this is a good book for you. If you would rather experience the Spirit of Jesus, there are better resources.
I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.