Posted in Growing in the Lord
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1 Corinthians 2:16 . . . we have the mind of Christ.
First impressions are often the ones we remember and that makes it difficult for us to think of someone as anything other than what that first impression left in our minds. It’s easy to make a first impression, good, bad, or otherwise, but quite difficult to shake it off. A few weeks ago my husband took me out to eat supper on a Saturday night. While he was parking the van, I went into the restaurant to get a table for us. Sitting there in the waiting area for Randall to come in, I noticed a young woman (probably in her 20’s) across from me with what I assumed was her boyfriend. What caught my eye at first were her shoes: strappy, three-inch high heels made of some sort of glittery material. The shoes caused my eye to move upward where I encountered tanned legs that ended at the bottom of very short shorts. The blouse she had chosen, though it had three-quarter length sleeves, left a lot to be desired in other areas. Thankfully her dark hair was long enough to cover most of it up, though enough was still exposed to let you know that she was probably pretty proud of what she had and didn’t mind showing it off. I was just glad we didn’t have our boys with us that night, though I didn’t particularly want my husband to see it either. As we sat there waiting for our table, a couple of thoughts crossed my mind. First, I wondered what the guy with her thought of how she had put herself together. Did he like it? Did he think she was (excuse the term) hot? But, even if he did, did he mind “sharing” his woman with every other man in public? I’m sure that what she had on caused all sorts of thoughts to run their course through his mind, but did he realize that those same thoughts ran rampant through the minds of other men as well? What I wondered most, though, was whether or not this young woman thought that her provocative clothing is what being a woman is all about. What had been her influence in deciding on how she would present herself that day? I believe that she wanted to be remembered for what others saw in her appearance and she had allowed the world (television, movies, and magazines) to influence her. No matter what it was, obviously her intentions were to draw attention to herself. I believe that she probably thought she was quite beautiful with her revealing outfit, long silky hair, and tanned skin. While there is nothing wrong with beauty, what I witnessed that night is that this world has a twisted idea of what makes a beautiful woman. Maybe if I had taken the time to speak to that young woman, I would have found that she was intelligent and well-spoken. The impression I received, however, was far from that. As I sat there further contemplating the whole situation, God brought to my mind a startling thought: many Christian women suffer the same plight as the young woman in the restaurant. They want to be noticed and remembered for something. They also seek to make an impression. Most women, Christian or otherwise, often use their clothing, hair, nails, and shoes to bring attention to themselves.. In all honesty, what woman, no matter her age, size or figure doesn’t have a desire to be thought beautiful and attractive? And what woman hasn’t at some point in her life enjoyed being the center of attention? It is so easy to be drawn into the world’s ways, especially considering all that the media throws at us today. In fact, I believe that Christians have made television, movies, music, magazines, books and other worldly pursuits their authority and custom more so than the Bible. And why not? How much more time is spent with these things compared to God’s Word? Too many of us are probably in denial about the influence these all have over us. I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with reading a magazine or book; watching a movie or a television program; or having hobbies or interests. What I’m talking about today is the influence exerted over us and how much of it is taken to heart at the exclusion of God. The danger is that the world and its devises, of course, aren’t concerned with godliness, but instead are consumed by the temporal: fame, recognition, success, and to be the most whatever (beautiful, sexy, etc.). Unfortunately, we have allowed ourselves to be drawn into this trap. We’ve got to have perfect hair, nails and make-up. If we’re not skinny, we’re not good enough. We’ve got to have the latest fashions and look just like everyone else. We’re too embarrassed by what’s conservative and modest because it is often considered “old fashioned”. I’m not so sure that we even know who we are any more because we are so often drawn into the world’s ways. What is unfortunate, however, is that the world doesn’t see Christians as different any more. Many lost people have no need any more to be born again because they do not see Christians living lives much different from their own. How very unfortunate this is because God has placed Christians in a very unique position. Next time I'll talk to you about who you really are and let you decide if you're making the right impression on people. In Christ, Julia © 2007 Julia Faulkner |
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Posted by Denise