The Blog Post About Women and Clothes

From tonight's email to my lovely girls:

Today my mind and heart have really been returning to a concept I want to talk about for a few moments: modesty and the godly woman's clothing. The thought didn't really spring from any one recent event or Scripture passage, but it has been weighing on my heart, and I'd like to speak both practically and spiritually with you today.

Believe me, the feminine closet is an ever-present responsibility. So many factors to consider! Such a delicate balance to be found between equally unlovely opposite sides of the spectrum. What a lot of maintenance--because for the woman who loves her Savior and strives to honor his name in every area of her life, the wardrobe is an especially challenging project to tackle. But it must be given careful thought, for just as in any other aspect, carelessness or a headstrong "I'll-do-it-my-way" attitude is not indicative of complete submission to the Holy Spirit.

First, let me say that for us, maintaining a God-honoring closet requires a lot of prayer. That sounds silly, doesn't it? What kind of nutcase prays about what to wear?

Well, I do. Here's why.

#1: God made women beautiful. Everything about the feminine character, from her physical design to the varied blends of personality, temperament, style, mannerisms, voice, mind and articulation, etc. etc. were designed by God and crafted all together in one creature called a woman, to be the helper to his first creation, man, and to glorify the name of the Lord by gracing his creation with femininity.

 #2: God is honored when women cultivate and nourish their womanliness, and purposefully blossom into creatures of grace, gentleness, beauty, intelligence, and helpfulness. I like to think of this metamorphosis as stemming from a spiritual "core," which is simply 100% devoted to loving Jesus Christ and serving him first of all. Then, as the Spirit works his sanctification in you, outward manifestations become evident of this inward change--including changes in how you speak, dress, move, act and react in response to the world around you. You blossom into a wholly feminine woman.

#3: Even Adam in a perfect world full of marvelous creatures was incomplete, and when he saw Eve, he knew he'd been given what no other creature in the world could be--a soulmate and companion, a helper, a wife (Genesis 2:18-25).

And, because women are innately desirable to men (and men to women, for that matter--but that is another conversation for another day), and because we live in a terribly fallen world that is deformed by sin that twists and mars this beautiful attraction, we sometimes forget what it was meant to be and we look to the sin-seeped culture, observing its counterfeits, and because we are weak, we succumb and do the same--sometimes even unintentionally, that's how ingrained we can become in the ways of the flesh. Little things slip in here and there, and bit by bit our wholesome feminine essence is chipped away and sold out for something that is not only cheap and fake, it is wrong and it dishonors God, and it is a very serious offense. That's why we have to talk about this, no matter what your current feelings are --awkward, eye-rolling, worried, open--whatever. You need to consider these things if you never have before, and if you've heard them a hundred times, you still need to hear them again, and then we all need to open our closet doors and get on our knees before God.

Feminine modesty is not an inconsequential matter. If the devil can get you to believe so, he'll have you--a "good Christian girl"--as a spectacular tool in his claws to make great men fall and wreak havoc in the kingdom of God. Do not go down so easy, dear ones.

I'm not going to talk to you about "respecting yourself." I'm not even going to talk to you about how precious, cherished, and valuable women are in God's eyes--this is true, but tonight I'm talking about what goes on your mind, in your heart, that makes you select the things to wear that you do. What are your motives? Don't bypass your heart's motives and be confused by the many lesser-important things that come into play--for example, I like clothes reminiscent of hippie/bohemian/earthy/old world romanticism, and I (almost) despise business attire. Not because one is better than the other, but because I simply like one more and the other less, in conjunction with my personality. Other factors that necessarily contribute to the clothing you choose will be the work and play that occupies your time, the socioeconomic class and geographical area in which you live, the season of the year, whether the event is formal or casual, etc. But none of these things has the power to be modest and God-honoring--or otherwise--without your heart's direction and motivation.

Let's not get bogged down with skirt-length regulations, T-shirt circumference rules, or earring length gauges. Here's the crux of the matter: if you love Jesus, really really love him, and you've been saved by the grace of God through his Son Jesus, if you're walking on the road that is narrow and scorned by many, looking neither to the left nor to the right, if you have tasted of the love of God, then you will love the people in the world around you (including men) with the love that God bestowed on you who were unworthy--this love is the love of a sister for her brothers, a daughter for her father, a mother for her son, a wife for her husband--a love that helps, upholds, encourages, eases burdens and assists them in their wearisome battles. I am a sister to four brothers; many of you are sisters to brothers as well, and if you haven't a brother, I bet there is either a dad or a cousin or a nephew-- all of whom you won't be marrying, but whom you still love fiercely. A sister's love is angry when foolish girls tempt her brothers, even subtly. You need to be the girl who is loving these men, praying for them, and helping to shovel rocks out of the path, not standing there throwing more in their way.

In my mind, I see the faces and know the names of girls who go to youth group, go to church, occasionally post something Bible-ish on Facebook, but persistently cause their brothers in the Lord to stumble because they refuse to love those men with a selfless love that cares more for others than for oneself. They have their reward now, dear girls--the silly attention of foolish boys (see Proverbs 7) and the jealous half-friendships of equally trite girls. But, oh, my dear little sisters--do not be deceived--they will each give account for these things. You and I will stand before God and give an account as well. I have no desire to explain for years of egocentric living, wearing whatever garners immediate attention, regardless of the long-term consequences of wrecking other people's hearts and minds, do you?

But I'm telling you, sweet ones, it won't be easy. No way. It's hard to be quiet and modest, because you will be overlooked, ignored, misunderstood, and all manner of other unpleasant things. It's hard because your biggest battles aren't from the outside, they're waged from within between our carnal nature and our new nature in Christ! It's hard because you will want the attention those other flashy girls get, you'll feel unlovely and not beautiful at times, and besides all of that, it will be inconvenient and a lot of work. These are all things the devil will gladly point out to you in hopes of getting you to give up on the mission altogether, in order to concentrate on "more important" aspects of your Christian life. He might suggest that you go on a mission trip or volunteer someplace doing something benevolent, anything to pacify your conscience and keep you wearing the clothes that are hurting God's up-and-coming men who are currently making the devil nervous. You'd be the perfect, subtle thing to trip them up and keep them from doing anything really worthwhile. Then you can all limp along in carnal Christianity, totally crippled spiritually and accomplishing nothing for the kingdom. Perfect.

I know, I know--this letter's getting long. You get the point. It's serious stuff here, girls. I'm not trying to be a killjoy--honestly! I love putting together outfits and accessories as much as any girl. It's so fun to find just the perfect thing. That's all fine and good, but please, please think about what you're wearing, who you're wearing it for, and why you picked this item over that one--examine what's going on way down there in those reeeally hidden places of your heart. Perhaps all is not as it seems, and some serious prayer and wardrobe re-vamping are in order.

It may sound simple or cliched, but seriously, if Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior whom you love and adore, saw you in everything you wear, walked with you, sat with you, and saw you in action--would he rejoice or would he be grieved? And by the way, no need to imagine if he were by your side . . . he already is.

All my love,
~Brenna

. . . Coram Deo . . .
"Living before the face of God"

The JOY of Giving

I realize my posts have been a bit somber as of late. So, tonight, I'm thinking about the joy of generosity and the heart attitude of a true Christian--cheerful giving. Here's an excerpt from tonight's email to the girls, on our one hundred and twentieth day of reading the Word and writing to our sisters in Christ!

Hello, dear girls!

Exodus 25 begins, "The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me." (ESV) The NKJV reads, " Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering." The chapter then goes on to describe the various offerings of precious metals, fine linens, prized fibers and pelts, wood, oils, incense, perfume, spices and jewels for the building of the tabernacle. The giving was so abundant that the Israelites later had to be restrained from giving any more, so ample was the supply of treasure for the house of the LORD.

What I love is how God asks the willing heart to give. And when the tender, willing, generous heart gives, there is an abundance. The Old Testament transitions seamlessly into the New as its themes are carried over again in 2 Corinthians ch. 9 v. 7: "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

Proverbs 11:25 "Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered."

Isaiah 32:8 "But a generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand."

The Bible is full of teaching on generosity. The truth is that a willing, giving heart is a characteristic of true believers. True Christians love to give, even if they have practically nothing as far as material possessions goes. They share out of what the Lord has given to them, and he greatly values and blesses such a heart. Lots of people don't tithe anymore, yet there are lots of people who do still tithe--but I once heard an excellent sermon on why Christians should think again if they consider themselves generous people by tithing 10% of their income to the church. This speaker said Christians should cultivate a heart of joyful, ecstatic giving, and delight in sharing 20%, 30% or more of the abundance they have been given! Definitely a revolutionary thought for the hundreds of comfortable, well-to-do people listening to his message--myself included.

Materialism, entitlement, and a false sense of ownership run deep in our American culture. Be wary of this anti-Christlike attitude. We don't own the things we have, God does! Who do we think we are to hoard them? It doesn't matter if we're selfish with our money, time, food, prayers, friendship, energy, skills, service or anything else--it is not right to keep these things only for ourselves. They are to be used to bless others and ease their burdens, and show the tangible hands and feet of our Savior's love to those around us. Not doing so is damaging to our effectiveness as ambassadors for Jesus. For example, are you leaving gospel tracts at restaurants? OK, good--but you better leave a good tip too, because actions and generosity pack a powerful punch to back up your witness. Do other people know you're a Christian, but get the vibes that you don't really care whether or not they exist, and you're certainly not going to offer them anything that they might be needing? Such an attitude is about as effective at lighting up a dark world as a dollar-store flashlight with half a battery. Don't be a spiritual Scrooge. Not only is it unpleasant for yourself and everybody else, on a much more serious note, it is in direct disobedience to God's commands to his children. And we're 100% in, remember? All or nothing. None of this lukewarm business.

I would like to encourage you to think about this and consider what things God has given to you and your family that you could be more generous with. If you're drawing a blank, pray that He will show you how to be more generous, not only in sharing whatever you've been given, but also in developing the heart of a joyful giver, and then pray earnestly for opportunities to GIVE! Be creative--you'll be surprised at the plethora of things that can be shared.

Love always,
Brenna

Living in Limbo

I had to stay home last weekend while my family went to a conference about homeschooling and family discipleship. I wanted to go, but alas, a major, 160 question, nerve-wracking exit nursing examination was scheduled smack in the middle of it, so I couldn't go. They came home on Sunday, beaming. Inspired. Renewed. Excited. And with bag-fulls of new books and audio lectures.

They came home filled with hope to see that there are still people left in the world who love the LORD their God with all of their hearts, souls, and minds, and teach their children to love His law as well. It was good that they went.

I, however, have been in a bit of a rut. Perhaps "stalemate" would be a better word. Not afraid, not discouraged, not frustrated--I can't pinpoint it. Worn out? Burned out? Wishing the future would hurry up and pan out so I could see how things will settle? Needing more sleep? Or, all of the above.

I want to plant a garden. But, should I bother if I won't be here to tend it? The two sheep need to be sheared. Where will I store the wool if this isn't the year I can learn to spin? I have too many horses. Which ones should I sell before I move in a mere ten weeks? Who will want them anyway? When will I find time to trim the goats' hooves? And, the "check engine" light came on in my car and it started rattling. And, we have to squeeze in a post-graduation barbecue somewhere in the 24 hours before two of our guys head to Alaska for a commercial fishing season. So much to do. Plans are a-whirling. Everything's jumbled up.

In the midst of the hum, I hear, "Be still." And know that I am God.

Yes, yes. I will. I have forgotten to be still. I have forgotten to cultivate contented joy with the flurry of each day, learning to live in this limbo land of not-quite-jelled plans. They will become clear in time, in His time, when it is right to reveal them to me. It is hard to be still when pulled in a thousand directions, hard to dim the buzzing world out and think about Him. Talk to Him. Ponder what He says. Tune for His pull on the heart.

And be still.

A Bitter Weed

From tonight's email:

Hello, dear girls! Ninety days by the grace of God; many times I've fought to keep my eyes open as I wrote to you, but you know what--if I didn't write, I didn't read, so you all have held me accountable to be into God's precious word for this many days. Thank you, thank you. :) I love you each!

Today's reading is from Mark 9 and 10. In these chapters, there is a section that says this:

". . . And Jesus called them [the disciples] to him and said to them, 'You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.' " --Mark 10:42-45

This isn't a new idea to us, but it is oh, so hard to live. You must understand how deeply, deeply selfish we are. Our thoughts and interests naturally default to satisfying ourselves, promoting ourselves, and focusing on ourselves, to the exclusion and belittlement of other people. Selfishness isn't something that has a characteristic feature to it--it comes in as many variations as there are people. We all think of the obnoxious, greedy types as "obviously" selfish--but the truth is, the quiet, shy ones among us are equally self absorbed.

Think about this: Pride can manifest in NOT wanting the limelight as much as it shows up in those who want to steal the show all the time. If you are so self-absorbed that you can't acknowledge or honor other people's desire to care about you and recognize you, then you are just as selfish as the girl who walks into church bragging about something she wants to be praised for.

Selflessness is about OTHER people, not about our own "comfort zone." Am I too nervous and shy to greet a visitor? Bingo, selfishness--I'm too concerned with my own interests to step out of my shell and reach out to another person who may be having a much worse day than I am, might be in the middle of a crisis, could be on the verge of tears, or have just suffered some hidden tragedy and desperately needs a friendly smile and a hello. If I withhold that warmth and affection because I'm too selfish to stop putting myself first and start caring about other people, I am no better off than the worst, most blatant selfishness we can think of, and I am certainly not exhibiting the heart attitude of a humble servant of Jesus Christ.

I hope you take the time to examine your heart, and do it soon. We've all got that horrible weed trying to put down roots in us, that ugly, invasive pride of life that is the taproot of all kinds of sin. But before you despair, and more importantly, before you try to change yourself and fail and then feel miserable, let me remind you of this: you cannot change your heart. God changes hearts. It is he who purges all sin, including the sin of selfishness, from us, if we humbly repent and ask for forgiveness for the hours wasted in self-love. He will change you. You cannot win this one without him; it is futile and you'll be discouraged quickly. But with the power of the Holy Spirit conforming you into the image of Jesus, you will WIN and you will see your old self being crucified and you'll understand what it's like to glory in the joy of the Lord. It's amazing how freeing it is to stop being in love with yourself!

Don't let yourself off the hook with excuses (i.e., "I'm just an introvert, she wouldn't understand me," "I have tried to reach out and nobody appreciates it," "I'm not nearly as selfish as so-and-so," "I think I'm doing pretty well," etc). That's the easy way out, and believe me, it is comfy now, but it stings like a hornet later. I know of a girl who allowed subtle selfishness to reside in a quiet corner of her heart--it only displayed itself once in awhile, but it was there. And all of a sudden, when a time came when something (or someone) arrived in her life that was worth being totally unselfish for, she was too late, and missed it. Her true character showed itself, and she lost a precious opportunity. And it was a bitter loss--he found another girl with a gentle, healing spirit of humility who (he rightly saw) would be a far more desirable lifelong friend and wife. Oh, sweet girls, don't let that be your story! Ask the Lord to show you where selfishness resides, and then beg him to burn it out of you and make you a holy, loving servant to all.

It is a far better way.

Good Friday

From an email to my girls this evening~

Today, my scheduled Bible reading landed in Jeremiah 7 through 11. In this portion, Israel, the chosen and beloved people of God, has repeatedly forsaken him for evil pleasures, including idol worship, adultery, and child sacrifice (not so very different from our own country, hmmm?). Jeremiah is sent by God to tell the people that they have literally left God with no choice but to severely punish them and purge their sin from among them by allowing them to be brutally conquered and slaughtered by their enemies. They respond with half-hearted repentance, but their attitude is more like a shrugging-of-the-shoulders, implying that God is a meany and would punish them no mater what they do. Not true. Their persistent rebellion brought their own condemnation upon them. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that he will also reap (Gal. 6:7).

This is a matter of serious consideration for us. Sin's consequences are grievous, for all sin is a terrible offense against a perfect, just, and holy God. We cannot fully comprehend what holiness is, for we are without it. Any righteousness, any goodness, any holiness, is imparted through Christ, and found only in the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit after repentance and belief in Jesus' atoning death, burial, and resurrection as the substitutionary sacrifice in our guilty place--the place of dishonor, unholiness, and worthy of punishment for our sins. "The wages of sin is death." "Your sin will find you out." The Bible is very clear about the result of rebellion against God. Sin begets death, pain, misery, strife, fear, anger, jealousy, hatred, self-love, distrust, pride, lust, greed, and on and on the list goes. It is an ever-descending spiral to hell, literally. Such is our fate apart from Christ.

But, today is not called "Good Friday" for no reason. It is a good day--a most excellent, wondrous, glorious day for all mankind. Today we remember with special remembrance that God stepped into the gap between our unworthy, defiled, unlovable selves and his holy, majestic completeness--and he became like us, in a body like ours, to love us, heal us, and die for us to pay the debt we ought to have paid, a debt that deserved no less than the eternal outpouring of the wrath of God. He bridged that abyss, he loved us when we were unlovable, he called us when we hated him, and he healed us when we were beyond human healing. He saved us, literally. Do not forget this grace, this favor, this unmerited affection and kindness, this benevolence that came to us, who were so undeserving and wretched. It is his grace that saves. Repentance and belief is the appropriate response from any human who has ears to hear and eyes to see and understand the truth of such love. For those who would deny that wickedness that dwells in their own hearts, those who would stop up their ears and turn away their eyes from the light, they, like the Israelites of Jeremiah's day, have damned themselves by rejecting the grace they need so desperately.

Remember what it is you have been saved from, and always think, "But for the grace of God, there go I." Beware of pride. Remember who we are apart from Christ--despised, guilty, and worthy of all condemnation. Remember who you are in Christ Jesus--a new creation, and the beloved bride of Jesus himself. An adopted child of the Most High God, grafted into his Church by grace, sweet grace. And rejoice in such a remembrance, no matter what your present circumstances may be.

That is all, dear ones. Good night, on this Good Friday.
Love, B

But It Sounded So Good

 From my email to the girls this morning . . .

Good morning, girls!

In addition to your daily email from your sisters, I recommend signing up for either (or both) of these two devotional emails, called "Tough Questions with RC Sproul" and "Essential Truths of the Christian Faith." You can sign up for these emails here: http://www.biblegateway.com/newsletters/. There are a lot of newsletters to choose from, but I have found these to be the best. Don't sign up for too many, or you will get inundated with emails, and then you won't read them (this is the voice of experience speaking).

This morning I read from 1 Samuel chapters 6 through 10. It is an interesting account of the ark of God causing all sorts of problems for the Philistines who had captured it (the ark brought divine judgments of tumors and rodents to plague the Philistines), and how they at last sent it away, back to the Israelites to rid themselves of its curse. It's interesting; while reading this story through today's culture's mindset, it sounds like a magical fairy tale. Tumors? Mice? Curses? It sounds silly, but it was not silly at all. It was the means by which God chose to interact with the peoples of that era, in that time and place, to make manifest his power. Even the Philistines, a pagan God-hating nation, acknowledged the greatness of his power and their utter helplessness before him.

Also in these chapters is the account of the people of Israel's complaint against God, demanding a king like other nations. Last week I mentioned how God told the prophet Samuel to acknowledge the people's request, because their hearts had turned not against Samuel, but against God. Today, I read how God chose a young man from a lowly tribe and a lowly clan, a young man who was just out looking for some lost donkeys; God selected him to become the king of Israel. This whole account has a sorrowful undertone to it. What could have been  joyous occasion, the rising of a leader chosen by God, is tainted because it arises from circumstances of hardened hearts and rebellion against God as their all-sufficient Ruler.

The Bible specifically mentions that Saul was young and extraordinarily handsome in appearance, and all the people in the land only came to his shoulders in height. He was a tall, imposing figure, one who was winsome and would easily garner followers. In these early stages of forming a kingship, Saul seems to be open to the word of the Lord, accepting direction from Samuel and willing to obey the Lord's command. In fact, the Holy Spirit rushed upon him, overpowered him, and he prophesied with the prophets, thereby giving a shocking proof to stunned onlookers that the God of the Israelites had indeed chosen him and set him apart. The Bible explicitly says that Saul received a "new heart" at this time.

From the surface, it looks so promising. But in my heart, I read this account, and it's almost as if I hear a mournful violin solo in the background, sad, crying for the loss of the people's love for their God. Saul begins so well, but in a few short years, he too will forsake the God who raised him up. Soon, Israel will be swallowed up in rebellion, sin, oppression, contention . . . and the beautiful picture of a nation led by faith in their living God will be lost.

Ch 10, v. 24: And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

And so their hearts turned away from the only One who could lead them in the paths of life. It is sad. It is painful to read about. But it is placed in Scripture, an inspired account, for our instruction. It is a warning: there is no human leader incapable of falling away. There is no man who can redeem a people. There is no president, no government, no patriotic social movement, no elected or appointed official who can lift the curse that reigns in darkened hearts. There is only one Man, the Son of Man, by whose name we can be saved, the Man Jesus Christ, who is both Lord and Savior of all who believe in him by faith. "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."

Dwell on these thoughts, dear girls, let them penetrate into your heart and lodge there, making you mindful of your own heart's attitude toward the One who rules supreme above all earthly powers, the One who raises nations up and tears nations down, the One who directs the hearts of kings like rivers of water in His hands.

Love,

~Brenna

. . . Coram Deo . . .
"Living before the face of God"

A Terrible Story

I finished the book of Judges tonight, reading chapters 17 though 21. These final chapters don't really advance the chronological timeline of Israel's history, but rather give us a terrifying glimpse into the moral depravity of that era. "Chaos" should be the defining word for this period. As the book closes, we come across what may be the single most sickening, repulsive story in Scripture; the account of the Levite and his concubine.

A few things to note:
1) A concubine was a female servant, whose primary purpose was to bear children, thus expanding her master's household and power. Sexual relationships outside of one-man-one-woman-for-life are never condoned in Scripture, and without fail, every time one is mentioned, we are able to observe the heartache and tragedy that accompanies it.

2) Ancient pagan cultures often practiced polygamy (one man with many wives and/or concubines), and its influence infiltrated the Israelites throughout their history. Again, it is always wrong and a sin against God.

3) Women were devalued in the ancient Near-East culture. The advent of Christianity deserves much of the credit for raising women's status above the traditional, devaluing status of household slave. Keep this in mind--as modern liberal feminists tout the "oppression" of Christian gender roles, remember that the age of grace brought to women an increase in the way they were valued.

Back to the story: you are probably familiar with it. It's one we often try not to read aloud, and we might skip over quickly when reading, but it is in Scripture for a reason, it is part of the inspired word of God himself, and it is there for our instruction. First, the unnamed girl, the concubine of a Levite man, ran away from his house, back to her father's home. Don't misinterpret this as an innocent escape. She left---why? To "play the harlot." A harlot is a prostitute. Although we may pity her grisly demise, we must also understand that she condoned, pursued, and participated in acts of sexual wickedness. You reap what you sow, and in many ways, the tragic harlot's death suited the path she had chosen to follow.

After retrieving his runaway concubine, the man and his entourage journey homeward, stopping to rest in the city of Gibeah. Gibeah was not a foreign city; it belonged to the tribe of Benjamin---fellow Israelites to the traveling Levite. Even so, the city proved so debauched that it was no safer than the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (in fact, this account parallels the Sodom and Gomorrah story very closely, as if to say--look! Things are no better now than they were then!).

In the course of the evening, the Levite's group is taken in by an older man, and sure enough, as night falls, the sickly wicked men of the city came to the house, wanting to have the Levite man handed over to them for homosexual purposes. Wicked yes, but even more repulsing is what the Levite and his host opted to do in such a dire situation...save their own necks by tossing out the concubine girl to the crazed men. The word Scripture uses to describe these men, "Belial," is used in the New Testament as a name for Satan. The men abused the girl all night, and as daylight came, they left her in the street. She dragged herself to the door of the house where her "husband" was snuggled up cozily in his bed, and she died there on the doorstep.

The story goes on to say how he discovered her there and told her to "Get up, and let us be going." My ESV study Bible notes, "the Levite's matter-of-fact reaction to his concubine's death illustrates his callousness." And then, to incense the country over the incident, he butchers her body into twelve pieces and sends a piece to each tribe in Israel. I can't help but wonder if he did this to shift the blame onto the debauchery of the men of Gibeah, and downplay his own responsibility for the crime by tossing her out to save his own skin? It would seem to fit. And, it did work: Israel erupted into a bloody civil war, and the Levite man slinks into obscurity, and is not mentioned again.

Wow, what a terrible story. Instead of diving into the myriad of ways we could extract moral lessons from this story, I want to use it as a marker on your road, to emphasize why it is important for you to understand the purpose, design, and precious value God places on manhood and womanhood. When humanity deviates from his perfect blueprint, chaos ensues and treachery reigns supreme. Don't be duped into believing that our own culture is not so debased as Sodom, Gomorrah, or Gibeah. The specifics may change, but the heart of mankind remains desperately sick and full of darkness.

And, although we like to sympathize with the poor girl in the story, whose pitiful life ended in a nightmare-come-true, we must own up and realize that we are guilty perpetrators of the wickedness around us. When was the last time we poured out our hearts in intercessory prayer for our brothers, near and around the world? When have we taken responsibility for the ominous crusade of feminism that has poisoned our era and crippled our men? When have we admitted that we women are all harlots at heart, desperately in need of a Savior?

It is time. There is no need to despair, no need to crumple in fear. It is time to assess the hardness of our own hearts and the wanton affections that we let reside there, little seeds of destruction that grow and choke our souls. Return to your Savior, precious girls, now while you are young and full of life and energy, now while the compass of your life can still be set. Take joy, take hope, and take up the torch of your noble-hearted sisters throughout history: for, "I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil 3:13-15)