Pauline’s Notebook

This is an extract from a talk written for the Gracepoint FCG Womens Group. It has being broken down into 4 parts. To continue reading the rest of the talk, click on the link to part IV.

Recognizing the toxicity in us and stopping it on it’s tracks.

Here are some practical ways to recognize the pollution of our culture and to stop it on it’s tracks. First, we need to recognize that some of the clothes we buy are harmful, not just to ourselves but also to the guys around us. Here is a principle you can apply based on 1 Cor 6:12 passage that says all things are permissible but not all things are beneficial. So, is it wrong to wear bikini tops? Well, no… but if we are wearing it because we want to get a reaction from others, then yes, it is wrong. Then, you say you aren’t doing it out of vain conceit…. Is it then wrong to wear bikini tops? Well, no… but it may be a stumbling block to the guys around you as they have being perverted by the toxic messages of our culture and will get the wrong message from you if you wear it. So, then the answer to the same question could then be yes, it is wrong to wear singlet tops - if it causes the guys to stumble 1 Cor 10:32; 1 Cor 6:12. Recognise the brands that sexualise their clothes and stay away from them. Cotton On has sexual slogans on t-shirts. Girlfriend and Cosmopolitan magazines are lifestyle bibles for girls and women, yet they depicts very demeaning messages to them. Recognizing and avoiding clothing lines, magazines and books is the first step. When communicating to the opposite sex, be aware when your texting becomes sexting. If you are in a relationship, be aware that the pressure you might get from your boyfriend (to look good and to engage in sexual practices) is also because they themselves have been bombarded with the same unhealthy sexual messages you have had! One way to stop yourselves from going down that road is to ask an older male to hold your boyfriend accountable. This older guy can regularly ask your boyfriend those hard questions. Likewise, do the same for yourself with an older female. In this day and age, even parents will let you and your boyfriend travel on holidays together. This to me spells BIG trouble! Don’t even contemplate it even if others around you say it’s OK. When you go out with your boyfriend like to a movie, make sure you tell another person to call you when you know the movie is over and when you should be due home. Better still, tell your parent or a friend to expect you to be home at a certain time so to avoid making out in the car. It’s about making yourself accountable to trusted people to preserve those sexual desires to be saved for the one you love – your lifelong partner. If you realise you love your boyfriend and he’s a godly guy, then get married quick because those sexual urges will get stronger! Now you may think that it’s getting overboard to get someone to call you when a movie is over. But the mistake is that you think you are strong enough to overcome your sinful nature…. and you aren’t. The reality is that all of us will struggle with our sensual desires which can easily overcome our dedication to Christ. So be honest with yourself and be honest with your friends.

To continue reading the rest of the talk, click on the link to part IV.