ARE YOU A WALL OR A DOOR?

Song of Songs 8:7-10
7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned. 8 We have a young sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister for the day she is spoken for? 9 If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar. Beloved, 10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment.

On an episode of the terminated TV talk show Politically Incorrect, host Bill Maher was discussing rules for relationships from the male perspective. With regard to sex he said, "Unless you [women] are willing to give us sex whenever we want, you don't have the right to gripe if we use pornography." All three female guests agreed that the rule made sense.

This "rule" demonstrates the distorted attitude toward sex that is prevalent in our society. Read Song of Songs 8:8-10 again. Years ago when planning their young sister's future, some brothers were concerned about her sexual purity before she got married. "If she is a wall," that is someone who resolved to uphold her moral standards and resist premarital sex, her brothers would celebrate her, strengthen her, and encourage her. However, "if she is a door," that is, someone who was promiscuous and sexually accessible to every man who made advances toward her, they would have to restrict her and shut her off altogether from men. Then, after the brothers made their statements, their sister proclaimed her sexual purity, "I am a wall." What a testimony!

God wants us to be holy by keeping clear of all sexual sin. I know it seems that God says NO at exactly the time our bodies say GO. But He intends for us to learn control and discipline. God wants to give us His desires and the power to carry out those desires. The standard of sexual purity has its foundation in the moral purity of God. He gave us rules about sex not to hurt us or spoil our fun, but to protect us and maximize His gift to us.

Are you a wall or a door? --Marvin Williams

DESTINATION POINTS

* What is a holy life? What motivates me to live a life that is pure and holy?
* How can I strengthen and encourage others who are trying
to live sexually pure lives?


bottom line: Sacred theology--not secular biology.

soul journey