We live in a society where everyday we’re bombarded with advertisement. In each little ad we see we’re influenced to buy this, do that, go somewhere, eat a certain kind of food, wear a specific brand of clothes, drive a certain car, cut our hair short, or maybe let it grow, dye it pink, orange, red, black, blue. We HAVE to be popular, we HAVE to be accepted, everybody MUST love us, whoever doesn’t is an idiot or a jerk, our opinion is above reproach, our word is final. We say whatever we want, we listen only what is pleasing to us. We smoke and drink “socially”, we go to parties so we’re not left out of the loop, drugs are not “that big of a deal” after all they just “intensify our personalities”. Gossip is just “a part of life”, GIRLS getting pregnant is a reality, sex only after marriage is taboo and stupid, homosexuality is to be accepted.. and praised, holiness is ignored, freedom equals conformity with the rest of the world and individuality equals being as everybody else.
Guys face many challenges: we have to make out with all the girls to prove our masculinity, treating girls like prostitutes is normal, wearing your pants 3~4 inches below your waist is “cool”, looking like Justin Bieber is an attractive/or a reason to be ridiculed, swearing is funny, being vulgar is just another part of life, unfaithfulness just “happens”, being rebellious equals being free. If you treasure girls you’re cheesy, if you’re romantic you’re corny, if you respect your parents you’re “conforming with the system”, if you’re a virgin, that’s a shame. You should be strong, athletic, sensual, “experienced”, provocative, a ladies-man, mysterious.
Girls face challenges too: it doesn’t matter what you think about yourself but what your so called “friends” think about you, self-promotion is everywhere, shorts get shorter, pants get tighter, cleavage goes down, shirts ride up, you dress for others not yourself, you walk like everybody else, you talk like everybody else, you think like everybody else, you dress like everybody else. You only have perfect hair if it is straight, or curly, or wavy. You should be a blonde, or a brunette or whatever else. If you’re 12~15 God is far from being your priority, after all guys are soooo much more important, sometimes that continues until you’re 18, 19, 30…, your virginity is not treasured, TV says you’re too fat, to skinny, too tall, too short. Your breasts are too big, or too small, you need implants, you need a nose surgery, you’re not smart enough, you’re not good enough, you’re boring. You should be better, prettier, wear more makeup, be popular, sexy, provocative, a teaser, a gossip (or, should I call it, “informed”?).
You are allowed to be all of the thing above, except, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, you should NEVER be… yourself.
Why is that? For some reason, being yourself is not enough. Why? We were created in God’s image, after you want to accept it or not, we are creatures of God Almighty, created in His likeness. Why would you want to look like what the devil says you should be through the media and through your “friends” instead of being yourself, the one God created you be, a perfect creature loved and treasured by him. I’ll leave you now not with my words, but with the word of God. Let truth refresh your mind and confront your thoughts… Peace! Have a great week!
Psalm 139
1 O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
5 You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!
7 I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave,[a] you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night—
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me,[b] O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!
19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!
Get out of my life, you murderers!
20 They blaspheme you;
your enemies misuse your name.
21 O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you?
Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you?
22 Yes, I hate them with total hatred,
for your enemies are my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
