Digging Deeper

The boundaries that God has created for us are there for our own protection. He wants to keep us safe and happy. Sex is good and good for us when practiced inside these boundaries. This week we’ll look a little closer at some of these boundaries and why they are there.

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. - Matthew 5:28

They say a picture paints a thousand words. What picture is being painted for you? Everywhere we look these days we see sexual content. Of course there’s actual pornography, magazines, movies and the Internet but there’s also the things we don’t always notice. Billboards, magazines, commercials, TV shows, R-rated or even PG rated films, contain so much “acceptable” sexual content that we tend to glaze over and get used to it.

One of my favorite TV shows is The Office. On more than one occasion they have gone a little too far with their sexual content. This years season finale may have been the last straw for me though. Two of the characters have been engaged and were planning their marriage. At the end of the episode we find out that she is pregnant which brought tears of joy and celebration to the couple. And I found myself happy for them (I know it’s just a TV show) but then it dawned on me that once again we are being shown that pre-marital sex ends in reward. Oh Yay, what a joyous occasion, it’s so wonderful… What about the message that has now been sent to the younger fans of this show? I’m sure these characters will get married and live happily ever after, it’s the role they are designed for. But what about the diseases these two could have brought into the relationship? Not only giving them to each other but to this child or others they may continue to have sex with. What about the dads that freak out and run? What about the moms that decide to have abortions instead? Or the couples that stay unmarried and raise the children “together” or in two separate homes? Or they do get married just because “it’s the right thing to do, now” and live in regret and hatred? Why don’t we see that on TV? Reality TV is such a big seller right now but I don’t see this one on any of the channels…

What picture is being painted in your home? For you? For your children? It’s certainly something to think about…

Father, help us to see through Your Sons eyes what is around us and the dangers it may bring us. And with this new sight not pass judgement or shut ourselves off but instead, through our behavior and actions of obedience and love shine Your light for them to see as an example of how things could be… Amen

- Rick Phillips