Woe To Men...
Has anyone else noticed that it seems like almost everything these days either has a sex appeal or sexual undertones? I mean in our culture, throughout the world. It's like all of a sudden, you can't even check your e-mail without a popup ad with a girl in a bikini (or less), you can't watch Sportscenter without an anchor revealing all clevage, you can't watch a TV show without sexual innuendos, undertones, or even scenes, you can't go into a mall without seeing numerous ads for scandolous lingerie that only married people should see, you can't watch a PG-13 (and sometimes even PG) movie without a "too close for comfort" sex scene, you can't walk into a movie theatre without seeing a display with a scandalously-dressed actress, you can barely have a blog without popups, and worst of all...Hollywood and retailers are pushing a sexy, scandolous, model-shaped figure for girls to compare to (not that all girls submit to this).
Sometimes when I hear Jesus saying, "If you look at a woman with lust, you have already committed adultery with her in your heart...", I want to say back, "Well I'm sure that wasn't real hard back in the day in the Middle East where most the Jewish women were all covered up!! Not the case these days. Nevertheless, the command remains. I'm not excusing myself from this, I'm just saying it's getting harder and harder to protect yourself from these things. They're everywhere.
So why woe to men? Because I don't think this is going to get any better? As a man pursuing for marriage, this is something I know that I'm never going to be able to let my guard down on. I'm going to have to make decisions that are uncomfortable and unnatural. I'm going to have to have strict accountability and limitations. And I'm going to have to stay on my knees in prayer. Wouldn't it be like Satan to make it worse?
Sometimes when I hear Jesus saying, "If you look at a woman with lust, you have already committed adultery with her in your heart...", I want to say back, "Well I'm sure that wasn't real hard back in the day in the Middle East where most the Jewish women were all covered up!! Not the case these days. Nevertheless, the command remains. I'm not excusing myself from this, I'm just saying it's getting harder and harder to protect yourself from these things. They're everywhere.
So why woe to men? Because I don't think this is going to get any better? As a man pursuing for marriage, this is something I know that I'm never going to be able to let my guard down on. I'm going to have to make decisions that are uncomfortable and unnatural. I'm going to have to have strict accountability and limitations. And I'm going to have to stay on my knees in prayer. Wouldn't it be like Satan to make it worse?
posted by Rick at 11:02 PM
3 Comments:
I hear ya man. It is frustrating. I don't think that it was any easier back in the day though... men were still men.... a result of the fall. That verse along with 5:20 & 5:21 are ironically hopeful. Who hasn't been angry or lusted, therefore who hasn't killed or committed adultery. Christ exposes me as the worst person in the world but then calms me because he says he fufilled the law for me. Those verses really show what I can't do as much or more than challenge me to do what is right. Of course there's a place for righteousness, but not before grace. Anyway, as I fumble through this life sometimes giving in to and somtimes conquering temptation and anger, I at least am stabilized by grace through Christ. It helps to know that he doesn't expect me to fulfill the law, but want me to believe that he did. I've just started to expect the smut all around me. Christ shines brighter and eventually wins out, either through my repentance or through decisions that honor him. Peace.
I hear you rick, i find that i get desensitized to it all too easy. I think it is an area that breaks many people and causes a great amount of guilt. the good thing is to know that God's grace is sufficient and that he makes a way of escape. thanks for sharing your thoughts
This is a very vunerable blog Rick...thanks for sharing. The bottom line is God made women to be beautiful for men, and whether they are wearing a long cloak and scarf or working for hugh heffner men will continue to struggle. God's grace to you, (and thanks for being honest B-B-Bonnie!)
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