Modesty Isn't a Joke & Purity isn't about Sex.

I've been spending a large deal of time over the past several years trying to understand myself and why I am the way that I am and how I can better reflect Christ in my attitudes and behaviors. I've had to deal with a lot of issues and still do. One that I have found paramount in my walk with Christ has been purity.

I've said it before but I'll say it again. When I'm talking about purity, I'm not talking about sex. I'm talking about my mind. I am constantly at war with my thoughts and my words. I'm constantly speaking purity myself. Pure motives. Pure attitudes. Pure behaviors. I have a desperate desire to maintain my purity.

What is frustrating to me is the way our culture encourages the opposite. Listening to guys talk like complete idiots in regards to women and hearing continual sexual jokes like its not big deal has become so tired to me. What is most upsetting is that women have embraced this culture. Dressing appropriately and even going as far as to make similar jokes. Like, its "ok" they're "just men". Like, we can't do any better, or worse that we shouldn't.

Where the heck does that become ok? Are we so insecure that we have to verbally state sexual desire? Like every dude doesn't feel that way? Like thats even a question? Like Sin ain't there right away to try and twist our thoughts so we need someone to remind us "Oh yeah, we should probably be thinking something sinful right now." Or like dressing properly isn't important. "Oh shoot, I accidentally wore something inappropriate, silly me." How apathetic!

Please don't get me twisted. I've heard people joke that if I had my way all the women would be wearing turtle necks and full sleeves in baggy jeans during the summer. But that's not even my prerogative. My prerogative is that we should care. I'm not trying to come down on people for how they dress, I want people who feel like something is wrong, to act like it's wrong. Stick to our convictions. Have a freaking spine. Be purposeful in what we say and what we wear and how we act.

Most importantly I want to see us create a culture that conflicts drastically with the way the world talks and thinks. It's sad to me, to see young men and women struggling to maintain friendships with one another. Why don't we just see each other as people? Why does everyone have to be a potential spouse? Again, are we so insecure that we don't think God has it figured out? Are we so frightened that he might call us to live like Paul, without someone entirely? Do we really think that God doesn't see the desires of our heart? That He would hold any good thing from us? What are we so afraid of?

Men, are we so insecure. Can we not act like men? Is it so necessary to be so crude? Is it so necessary to be so base? So simple? So boring? Why are our hearts not directed towards Christ? Why isn't that where our primary pursuit is engaged? Is it so weak? Does that invalidate our man card? Do we even believe what God has said? Shouldn't our priority to be the man God has called us to be, before we even think about having a spouse?

Why does purity to so many stop at what we do? Christ asked us to look deeper and address what we think, at how we talk, at who we are.