Monday, September 27, 2010

Flirting = Harmless?


Hello!

So I had a dream the other night (well, morning actually). I was sitting on a bus, flirting outrageously with a cute guy, when all of a sudden the end of what could have been some type of uzi/automatic weapon sticks in the bus window, pointing right at me! The 'bad guys' were demanding for a particular person to get off the bus. But all I can remember is praying out loud "Oh God, Oh God, Oh God" over and over again. Then I woke up.

Pretty dramatic, eh? Yeah I think so, too. However, it does make sense, in a way. I've never been much of a flirt, and actually think it can be a dangerous practice. There have been times when I've found myself flirting - doing that thing with my eyes - felt immediately bad and stopped. And for some reason, I have always been that way.

Oh yeah, speaking of eyes, check out Proverbs 6:25

Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,

(I'll get to that comma in a minute).

Funny enough, before that dream I was prompted to read Proverbs 7, after seeing Facebook posts from True Woman Movement & Girls Gone Wise during the True Woman Conference. One of those posts said "The book of the Bible that talks most extensively about 'the wild thing' is Proverbs- specifically Proverbs 7." -Mary Kassian.

Yes, the famous "flirting" passage. One I had read before and took to heart. But for some reason or other I kept putting it off this time, then BAM, the dream! So tonight I sat down with Proverbs and did some investigating.

I read chapter 7, then decided to read the first 6 chapters, too. Some things that stood out to me:

1:10 - sinners entice.
3:13 - blessed is the man who finds wisdom.
- compare with 18:22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.
3:15 - wisdom is more precious than rubies.
- compare with 31:10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
Or go ahead and take all of 3:13-18 and compare with Proverbs 3:10-31.
4:9 - wisdom will present you with a crown of splendor.
- compare with 12:4 A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.
4:5-9 again, read these verses in light of Proverbs 31:10-31
5:3 - her speech is smoother than oil - then read Proverbs 7 - then think about 1:10.
6:25 - do not lust after her beauty.
- compare with 31:30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Thinking through this, I noticed - Wisdom sounds a lot like the wife of noble character! And the temptress is seen as someone that a wise man should avoid at all costs - someone that will lead him to the grave. As a woman, which should I desire to be like? Attempting, by God's grace, to be wise? Or deceiving with flashing eyes and smooth speech? Which do you think the Proverbs 31 woman would choose?

And I almost forgot - the comma! Here is verse 26

for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

Pretty harsh words, don't you think? But considering the rest of the Bible, and the images of Israel being an unfaithful wife, I think it is something to be taken seriously. Israel as an adulteress indicated the people's distrust in God, which was demonstrated with their alliances with other nations - all in the face of the God who saved her time and again - and told her to trust in Him and not to ally with any other nation. Do I want to be a woman who shows signs of distrusting God - who reduces men to a loaf of bread and preys upon their very lives? And if you're a woman reading this, do you want to be this kind of woman? Or if you are a man, do you want to marry this type of woman?

Dear Lord, Please make me a woman who trusts in You alone - not in my eyes or my speech - but in Your work in my life. Please continue to let me trust in Your plans for me, for Your plans never fail - and let's face it, are far better than what I would create if given the chance. Please don't let me be foolish in thinking that I can create anything for my life, but live and delight in the knowledge that You have already done that work; planned my ways, ordained my steps, that You are refining me as gold, and all for Your glory. And that through the sacrifice of Your Son, I am Your daughter - and what would You not give me? You've already given me everything - in Christ. For that I praise You and I thank You. In Your precious son's name I pray. Amen.

AND Oh My Goodness, I just realized it's almost midnight. I should be asleep! Eeek!





4 comments:

  1. Thank you for this! I am so encouraged by your post. Saving your blog to my favorites ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great post, Mom is the last to know, I just found your blogspot this morning! I really enjoyed reading your post as I knew I would. :) Dad knew about it long before me, shows how attentive I am to facebook. Love you and keep posting!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mom - it's not like I advertised, I would have told you about eventually, but I'm glad you found it!

    Sweet-T - you're welcome!

    ReplyDelete