Got your attention? Good—stay with me…
For those who do not attend NewSpring—let me explain what happened this Sunday…
We are currently doing a series on finances called Deal or No Deal; however, towards the end of the message I threw in a relationship nugget. I made the comment that I do not go to Hooters because in doing so I would dishonor my wife…and I challenged the married men in the room to ask their wives if this was dishonoring.
When I made the comment I just moved on…but since Sunday I have had several women tell me how much they appreciated me making that comment. One woman actually told me that three other women called her on Sunday night and said, “Did you hear what Perry said about Hooters?”
Guys—I know, you go for the food, right? WRONG! I am a man…I know how men think…I know what a man wants to look at…and so if you are a regular customer at Hooters…I KNOW why you go…and it’s not for the food but rather to feed lustful desires. Come on men…you can’t argue here…you know it’s the truth.
What I have discovered about my wife is this—she wants to know that she is beautiful to me. She makes an effort to take care of herself and, when we go out, to take a little extra time for me…she wants me to check her out—to tell her she is beautiful…and when she goes through this effort and I check out another woman or feel the need to go somewhere that puts women on parade to fuel my incredibly weak male ego—this hurts her. Once again men…if you don’t believe me—ask!
Men…I know we all live in a tough world. Sex sells…and beautiful women are used to sell everything from a new car to a cure for hemorroids. (Where does that logic make sense? “Hey—can I have the hemorroid medicine that the beautiful people on television use?”)
Maybe that is why Scripture tell us in Job 31:1 that he made a covenant with his eyes not to look lustfully at a woman…and we need to do the same.
It’s tough…I know—especially in the gym. I remember once a lady getting in front of me with some shorts that were so short that her rear end was literally hanging out! Later that day I was having lunch with a dude who held me accountable and I was telling him about it. He said, “Well…as soon as you saw her on the machine in front of you you moved didn’t you?”
“Uh, no,” I replied.
“Well Perry, how long did you stay there?”
“Uh—about thirty minutes…” I was busted—he called me out…and I never will forget that day that I taught myself the phrase when an attractive woman walks by, “That’s not my wife.” I have had to say that out loud!!! (It really freaks people who are with me out!)
Men—we need to be pure with our eyes…it matters to the woman we are married to. Single dude—it matters to your future spouse. Fathers—it matters to your sons and daughters. You are modeling for you sons how to treat women…and for your daughters how they should allow men to treat them. So…a family trip down to Hooters shows them nothing more than women being treated as objects of lust…and remember when they go down that road in the future—you discipled them.
One more thing and I will let up on this…and this is a challenge to women…the way you dress can greatly affect how a man thinks about you—or what he thinks about you. And I am not talking about those “women in Hollywood.” I am talking about women who claim they love Jesus…but also feel the need to reveal their cleavage to the world. Seriously—there have been some Sunday’s that, if I had put a steel pole in the middle of our stage here at church, many women would have probably felt right at home.
Ladies—if that offends you—check yourself…you don’t want to be treated as a piece of meat…then you can help yourself out by not putting so much of yourself on display! I know this is a challenge for many of you—where is the line between being beautiful and dressing like you are for sale? My advice—ask a man who is in love with Jesus…and give him permission to be honest…and he will let you know. What might be “cute” to a group of women can be “seductive” to a group of men.
Men have a responsibility to control themselves…but you have a responsibility to help us do so…it is a partnership…and as we work together God will be honored in this.
We will cover more of this kind of stuff in a series this fall—should be fun!