As I stand in a dark musty room, shoulder to shoulder in a crowd full of strangers, I watch as my friends bodies move in rhythm with each beat of the music. The guy inches away from me, stares down with passion as he tries to roll his blunt in the few seconds he has during every bright flash of the strobe light. As we make our way through the crowded room, we begin pushing our way throw a swarm of sweaty bodies. Wearing an outfit that shows more skin than I should be comfortable in, I catch a boy’s eye. All 6’3 of him could swallow the 4’11 of me whole. He rubs his giant hand up and down my thigh and begins to tug on my shorts so hard that I hope with every bit of my being that they do not rip. But in that moment I am not even worried about the situation I am in, because from the platform where I am standing, I begin watching all the girls in the room. The curves of their bodies revealed in the most vulnerable ways. Each move of their bodies seductively draws every guy in the room closer. Some of them moving their curves seductively while on stripper poles. All of the males in the room staring as if these girls were objects; viewed as nothing more than pieces of meat waiting to be devoured until only their fragile bones are left holding them together. An uneasiness flows through my body that makes me sick. I come back to the realization of where I am and I pull myself away from the handsy college boy, and run to the ladies room to re-group. As I am in the stall adjusting my shorts from my previous encounter I hear a group of lesbian girls say, “those awful Christians who…” I don’t remember what was said after that, and honestly I didn’t need to. Because in that moment, I heard the few words that God intended me to hear. In that moment I became overwhelmed with conviction.
Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Here I am living foolishly and unwise. I told myself it was ok to go out just this one night. I don’t drink or participate in any of those other activities, so it will be fine. I will be there for moral support on my friends’ first night out in a new town. I will be there to give her comfort and protection. When in fact I was not providing either of the two. I was hindering her. Hindering her from a true understanding of my walk with Christ really is. From showing her what a Christ follower should look like, and hindering her for making it look like I condoned any of the behavior surrounding us.
Never will I try to control someone else’s actions or condemn another because only God earns that title. But I have to become more aware of my own actions at all times. I am a Christ follower. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, and I want to live for Him in ALL that I do. That means the way I talk, act, dress, interact with others, the places I go, and even the things I do in my own private time must represent Christ! As a disciple of God I have been called to make other disciples, but how can I do that when my actions do not truly represent my Lord and Savior? The more I open my eyes to the world around me the more my heat breaks. It is full of corruption, evil, and there are so many lost souls right in front of me. As a follower I am called to make a difference in their life starting now, not three months from now when I begin traveling to third world counties. RIGHT NOW! And if you are a follower of Christ I encourage you to start right now also! Let us be the wise, loving, kind, and forgiving Christians that Christ has called us to be!
