1 Cor 6:20 for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.
I was shopping at a drug store last week in desperate need of sinus medication, which (don’t ask me why) was located next to contraceptives. While looking for my particular medicine, I saw a young boy looking for condoms. He was about the age of, oh I don’t know, FIVE?! I desperately wanted to shake his acne-scarred shoulders and tell him that he was making the biggest mistake in his life. But I didn’t. I quietly prayed in my head that he would have a Damascus Road experience and God would cosmically intervene. Because really, the Holy Spirit can convict in ways I cannot.
I know this to be true because I was tremendously convicted while walking out the electronic doors. 1 Corinthians 6:19 asks a rhetorical question, do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? Therefore, the degree we take care of our body is going to affect our abiding relationship with God.
I remember reading an article about some kids who broke into a church and ran amuck in the sanctuary. Chairs were over turned, trash thrown on the floor, and worse of all, they graffitied their names onto the walls, permanently leaving their mark. I was outraged. This was someone’s place of worship and it was ruined in minutes. But my rage flattened when I thought of how many temples are being ruined in metaphoric fashion and I’m not saying a word. I have friends who are allowing vandals to “break into their temple,” run amuck, and permanently leave their mark in the temple where the Holy Spirit dwells.
Today let’s glorify God with our bodies and remind those who have forgotten that they were purchased at a price. Internet, if I see that kid again at CVS I promise you I’m going to hug him, slap him upside his head, then sit down and talk about abstinence! Can I get an amen? J
17 comments:
Oh man... this gave me chills. Is that cuz I work with teenagers? Or cuz I probably KNOW that kid in the condom aisle? Man... I'm saying a prayer now too. Good post B.
i feel you! I don't know how many coversations we've had with our son who is barely a teenager about this topic. We are trying the preventative maintenance method:) (he's probably so annoyed by the talks)...anyway, i am so amazed at your topic, because i woke up this morning and had that thought in my head about our bodies being a temple...the line where u say "Therefore, the degree we take care of our body is going to affect our abiding relationship with God" really spoke to me...thanks for the reminder!
Your blog hit HOME. I am a mother of two teenage boys (18 & 13 )and just the thought of one of them being that aisle boy makes me sick to my stomach. We teach our kids in the Lord’s way. For them to keep themselves pure until the day of their wedding. I tell them and tell them and their response is “I know mom, I know”. I just hope, pray and trust that our Lord will provide a way of escape for them should they be tempted in to sin. As a mother I want to encourage every mother to pray for our children. It is vital!
~Maria
Bianca that was a very thought provoking blog. I am a single mom of two teenage boys (17&19)and the things they are exposed to in school an through advertisements sicken me to the core of my being. I have tried to lead by example by being abstinent since they were in elementary school. I had the talk with when they were in the 5th grade. I pray for them daily and I continue to talk to them about sex and the consequences of having it outside of marriage. Thanks for having these discussions.
AMEN!
Wow. What an interesting true story but so true. We need to take care of our bodies in every way because our body is not ours, it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. People say, "This is MY body. I can do what I want." Hence on the "my" and "I." God has been speaking to me about that this past week. We tend to have an "I" mentality.... It's all about what we want and what we think is best for us. That is not true. Only God knows whats best for us. He knows us better then we know ourselves. We also need to stop saying "I want and I think." and change our mentality. What does God want for our lives? What does he want us to do? Yet, even Christians, fail to do so.
For the parents who are feeling awkward and uncomfortable about speaking about sex, DON'T! I'm SO grateful for those awkward and uncomfortable conversations with my parents.
I knew they nagged me because they loved me. I'm so blessed we were open about sexuality and free to talk about God's design for sex.
Keep up the good work, parents! :)
A. MEN. ;0)
Amen sista!!
Amen sista Amen!!!
Wow God is so good. I really needed to hear this because I have been struggling with this idea of our body being a temple. Thanks for the reminder B.
P.S. I just started reading CRAZY LOVE and I can't put it down :)
A to tha MAN(Jesus)!
Seriously, great blog.
Thanks so much for your thoughts and wisdom, Bianca.
My boyfriend and I just had a conversation similar to this on the weekend; about keeping ourselves pure and holy and blameless till our wedding day.
It's important to be careful about how we treat our bodies. But I also think that those who don't treat their bodies well often don't consider themselves truly treasured or loved. What do you do to things you don't consider precious? You don't care for it. These people need to know God's amazing love for them and how precious they are to him!
Thank you, Bianca! We need more men and women who care enough to share the truth, even when it hurts like a slap upside the head. I know two brave women, Bev and Trish, who aren't afraid to do this. You would be amazed at how the teens respond when they realize they're being confronted because of love.
Hi Bianca,
You don't know me but we have a terrific friend in common, her name is Diandra. My wife, our two kids and myself attend Crossroads. The kids are actually in Diandra's youth group. I have been reading your blog more and more lately. At first I liked it, but now I'm starting to love it, because you make us think. Maybe it's things that we have forgotten or something new. I have never made a comment before, but this time I thought I would give it a try. My thoughts are, if the little boy was only FIVE years old and he already knew about them. What was his home life like? What kind of things was he watching on TV that made him think that he needed to have a condom. It's sad to think, what is this little boy going to be thinking about in a few years down the road. Just my thoughts Bianca, have a great day.
Rick
Amen :)
you have the best labels! ha.
love you.
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