Philippians 3:7-8 is Paul's plea to Philippi to consider everything they once had to be loss "compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord..." That is to say, all your money, your prosperity, your comfort, health, authority, prominence, everything. However, I have noticed in myself and some others the opposite idea.
There are a lot of people, including myself at times, who come to Ozark and tell stories about how great they were in highschool (usually at sports), which is easy considering no one is here to tell the whole story. If it's not sports it's smarts, how many girls you pulled or could've pulled, how well known you were, how much your church adored you, etc. Why though?
Another way that we tend to do this is quite a bit more dangerous. "If I wasn't a Christian I would..." That is not at all how Christ desires us to feel about his grace. We think sometimes that we are missing out! Holy cow, how selfish of us is that!? I have the grace of the living God to save me from hell and make a holy life desirable, but I missed out on all the sex I could've had, all the money I could've made, all the sports scholarships I dropped for you Jesus. Right now I hope you fill as foolish as I do for ever thinking such a thing...Maybe it's when we see it in writing that makes us really know that we are as silly as we thought.
I feel so selfish for ever thinking about what I gave up for Jesus. My word, he took on so much shame when he was the epitome of glory...If anyone ever gave up anything for a Christian college, it would be him. Are we sad; did we get the raw end of the deal from Jesus? Or was the alternative so much better than Christ to us? Let's not ever talk about what we left for Christ, instead what he left for us (Full-ride scholarship to heaven, great job at the right hand of God, so smart that he devised the entire universe). Tell me, what did we give up again?
What it all boils down to is our security with who we are in Christ. I have harped on that a lot lately, and that's because it is a problem for our developing identities as college students. If we are secure in who we are in Christ we will realize that we don't need to brag about any of that stuff anymore, because our new identity is so much more desirable. We didn't give that stuff up, we should be embarrassed that we ever found our identity in those things. Praise God for renewing our minds, and killing the old us. So let's not "give it up" anymore, let's consider it all loss for the sake of knowing Christ as our only identity. God bless you in that desire.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Simple Request
I would like to ask you to no be offended by what I say (not that I plan on being offensive) because I don't say what I say to sound smart or holier than thou, but I am genuinely trying to get all of us to strive for Christ-likeness. One of my life goals is to try and never feel offended when somebody suggests how I can be more Christ-like, so I am just asking that you would feel the same way.
This is going to be directed at the issue of modesty in our little Christian school. I wont pretend that these are all new thoughts or that I am a genius, but maybe it will help for you to read it again.
There is a lot of blame being thrown around for the issues of modesty, lust, and the dress code. "Well if the girls would just wear longer dresses..." "Well if guys didn't wear cut-offs and just be little pervs..." That will never solve anything. So where does the blame fall? The blame falls on every individual. That is less than unhelpful, so let me explain.
Media: Of course the media is jacked up and pushing the lines as far back as they can, and of course they are using sex for marketing, and of course they exploit our desire to be desirable. They do that because it works! I put little to no blame on the media because they are driven by us, not the other way around. If you want to fix the media problem, just get rid of it...T.v. hasn't always been a necessity, you know.
Women: Now something you can't get rid of (little joke to ease the tension). We love to blame the girls for wearing short dresses, skirts, shorts, shirts, etc. Here's the deal: the dress code says don't wear that stuff, so just freaking obey that! That should go without saying. What that promotes about you, from a man's perspective, is that that is what you want from us. You are advertising, so we are looking. That's just the fact of it. However, man's desire for the form of a woman is instilled by God (Genesis 2:21-25 (thanks Zus)). You better be glad we find you so attractive, otherwise marriage would be rough! At the same time, men have perverted that plan for God-given sex-drive and our wandering eyes are the result. With all that being said you need to accept that you are in a fallen world, so you need to adjust to such. In 1 Corinthians 8:12-13 Paul is talking about meat sacrificed to idols and how that works with our freedom in Christ. In verse 13 he says "Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall." He is saying that I will give up all the things I enjoy if that means I can keep my brother from stumbling. Women: for you that may mean that you can't wear some of the pretty stuff you own. If that is the worst thing to ever happen to you, count yourself lucky. Stop being high school girls and become godly women who are uncomfortable in their identity in Christ.
Men: I get sick of blaming girls and the media. Sure they play their part, but are you still a boy? It is time to cut that crap out and make the covenant with your eyes that Job did. It's time to say that you are a man whom God has called to take responsibility for your actions. Sure we are physical creatures, but that excuse doesn't fly when you are called to be DEAD to that. Let's not give girls the excuse of "we wouldn't do it if that's not what they wanted." Let's give them reason to think that what we want from them is a respectful relationship as Christian brothers and sisters. Men don't make excuses. Men were designed to lead, and what are we leading our sisters too? Last thing: quit freaking wearing cut offs when you aren't in the dorm or gym. Go up and change before dinner. Why? Because that is the rule that the godly leaders of this school told us to do, and a real man bows down to authority. Again, nothing they ask is unreasonable. Man up you little boys.
It's time to quit pointing fingers and hindering progress. I apologize for looking at you, sisters, with lustful eyes. Forgive me for just being angry for things out of my control, when I can control my eyes. Just fess up and own your part of the problem. The Gospel isn't a matter of talk, friends. Let's do what we are called to do, even in this seemingly small part. I love you, and I will struggle with you!
This is going to be directed at the issue of modesty in our little Christian school. I wont pretend that these are all new thoughts or that I am a genius, but maybe it will help for you to read it again.
There is a lot of blame being thrown around for the issues of modesty, lust, and the dress code. "Well if the girls would just wear longer dresses..." "Well if guys didn't wear cut-offs and just be little pervs..." That will never solve anything. So where does the blame fall? The blame falls on every individual. That is less than unhelpful, so let me explain.
Media: Of course the media is jacked up and pushing the lines as far back as they can, and of course they are using sex for marketing, and of course they exploit our desire to be desirable. They do that because it works! I put little to no blame on the media because they are driven by us, not the other way around. If you want to fix the media problem, just get rid of it...T.v. hasn't always been a necessity, you know.
Women: Now something you can't get rid of (little joke to ease the tension). We love to blame the girls for wearing short dresses, skirts, shorts, shirts, etc. Here's the deal: the dress code says don't wear that stuff, so just freaking obey that! That should go without saying. What that promotes about you, from a man's perspective, is that that is what you want from us. You are advertising, so we are looking. That's just the fact of it. However, man's desire for the form of a woman is instilled by God (Genesis 2:21-25 (thanks Zus)). You better be glad we find you so attractive, otherwise marriage would be rough! At the same time, men have perverted that plan for God-given sex-drive and our wandering eyes are the result. With all that being said you need to accept that you are in a fallen world, so you need to adjust to such. In 1 Corinthians 8:12-13 Paul is talking about meat sacrificed to idols and how that works with our freedom in Christ. In verse 13 he says "Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall." He is saying that I will give up all the things I enjoy if that means I can keep my brother from stumbling. Women: for you that may mean that you can't wear some of the pretty stuff you own. If that is the worst thing to ever happen to you, count yourself lucky. Stop being high school girls and become godly women who are uncomfortable in their identity in Christ.
Men: I get sick of blaming girls and the media. Sure they play their part, but are you still a boy? It is time to cut that crap out and make the covenant with your eyes that Job did. It's time to say that you are a man whom God has called to take responsibility for your actions. Sure we are physical creatures, but that excuse doesn't fly when you are called to be DEAD to that. Let's not give girls the excuse of "we wouldn't do it if that's not what they wanted." Let's give them reason to think that what we want from them is a respectful relationship as Christian brothers and sisters. Men don't make excuses. Men were designed to lead, and what are we leading our sisters too? Last thing: quit freaking wearing cut offs when you aren't in the dorm or gym. Go up and change before dinner. Why? Because that is the rule that the godly leaders of this school told us to do, and a real man bows down to authority. Again, nothing they ask is unreasonable. Man up you little boys.
It's time to quit pointing fingers and hindering progress. I apologize for looking at you, sisters, with lustful eyes. Forgive me for just being angry for things out of my control, when I can control my eyes. Just fess up and own your part of the problem. The Gospel isn't a matter of talk, friends. Let's do what we are called to do, even in this seemingly small part. I love you, and I will struggle with you!
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