How
Many Shades of Grey?
“If anyone
hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did
not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” John 12:47
What I’m about to write
has been on my heart and mind for a while now and will not go away, so I feel I
must share it with you. It is going to be long and offend some of you and shock
others that I would dare write about this. Before I go any further let me share
1 Timothy 1:15 with you: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full
acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the
worst.” Please stick this out with me, as I’m just as uncomfortable writing
this as I’m sure you will be reading it. Thank you.
We have hit a downward spiral and this nation is
falling further into turmoil. I equate two things to this downward spiral. The
first is people do not know Jesus or they don’t take the Bible seriously. The
second reason we are in turmoil is it is all a part of God’s plan and Jesus is
returning soon. We are over educated in worldly things and under educated in
spiritual things. Our nation no longer believes in right or wrong or black and
white. We, yes, you and me have allowed the lines to be smeared. Little by
little these lines were smeared until now we can no longer distinguish black
from white and vice versa. We have created a culture that accepts “50 Shades of
Grey”.
No way, you say!? How can I say that? Allow me
to point out two double standards in our culture, or at least doubles standards
that are prevalent where I grew up. Teenage boys were expected to be sexually
active by the time they were in high school. If they weren’t they were picked
on and called derogatory names. This was encouraged by other teenage boys and
grown men. Flip the coin, if teenage girls were sexually active they had a “reputation”
and were called derogatory names. This gives the illusion that it’s okay for
boys to lust and act on it but girls shouldn’t. Once those same teenagers
become grown another double standard appears or maybe it’s the same one. Men get
in trouble with their wives, to put it nicely, when they go to eat at “Hooters”
or seek out other entertainment associated with porn. However, men don’t seem
to mind when their wives do the same. Hints the popularity of “Magic Mike” and “50
Shades of Grey”. Wait a second, you say!? Those movies are not the same as the
entertainment of men. Aren’t they? Each one causes you to lust after what you
see. Let’s stop for just a minute and allow me to share the definition of lust
with you. According to dictionary.com, lust means intense sexual desire, a
yearning or desire. There are more but I picked two that I was comfortable with
writing.
The problem is the lines
have faded, no black and no white. We aren’t reading our Bibles and taking them
seriously, after all “it doesn’t hurt anything”. This is exactly what the Devil
wants. This nation has become his playground because we no longer see black and
white. We ignore the words written in red and that is the best place for evil
to roam. One double standard, one little smudge of black and white turns to
grey. One smudge turns to two and over time there becomes “50 Shades of Grey”.
How do we change this? Can we change this? Yes, we can change this. How?
The Sunday school answer is Jesus but it’s not just Jesus. We, as Christians,
have to read, study and live by the Bible. Educate others by sharing Jesus and
our stories. We have to let Hollywood know we will not entertain ourselves with
movies that are against our moral values. We have to hold each other
accountable by showing grace, mercy and most of all love. There is no need to
judge but simply point out the truth. Let me share these three truths with you:
- “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:28 (These words are written in red in the Bible, which means Jesus is talking. I’ll let you put two and two together.)
- “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” 1 John 2:16 (As Christians we are not of this world, so we should do our best to not follow the world.)
- “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” John 12:47 (More words written in red, again I will let you put two and two together.)
