Suburban Syndrome
I have had the bones for this post rattling around in my head for months, maybe even longer. There are many ideas for writing that I consider, most of them counter-cultural and potentially controversial. Like most, I don't particularly LIKE to be controversial, but just believing everything the Bible says (which I do) is controversial these days, so I tend to ponder and pray and make sure it is something the Lord wants me to cover before I plunge in. I pray this message will be received in the manner of love that it was written in.
In Titus 2, the Lord commands older women (like me) to teach younger women, or even older women who have never learned this model from the Bible, to be sober (sound mind, disciplined), to love their husbands and children, to be discreet (self-controlled, temperate), chaste (innocent, modest, pure), keepers at HOME, obedient to their husbands, so that God's word is not blasphemed. Those verses bring a whole world of controversy and are things most women absolutely do not want to hear, and in a lot of instances refuse to hear, or obey, because culture will gladly defend their disobedience and rebellion; even the church will teach contrary to scripture regarding these issues. (which is why you follow the Bible - not a teacher, not a book's teaching, not a pastor - all are fallible.)
I decided a long time ago that because I have to stand before God someday and answer for my actions, it is a lot safer to just believe what God's word says without trying to trivialize or negate it by whatever means, including saying it is not relevant today because our culture is different, women had different roles back then, blah blah blah infinitum. That sounds scary to me, because God told us in His Word that He never changes, and neither does His word. I didn't invent these truths; I just follow them. And every Christian woman should as well; there is no legitimate, scripturally defendable reason not to.
Which leads me to this post. Suburban syndrome. A phrase I made up to describe what can be viewed as somewhat of a lemming effect in the lives of many modern Christians. For those not familiar with the term lemming, it is a mouse-like rodent who is known to blindly follow other lemmings without thinking for himself, resulting in tragedy like mass drowning.
We don't have to live in a suburb to have Suburban Syndrome, although it makes it easier to be infected with it if we do. What are the symptoms of Suburban Syndrome? In the suburbs, houses more or less all look alike. They don't care if they aren't different, nor do they want to be different. Similarly, to have this syndrome is to have such a desire to fit in that one is willing to ignore scripture, willfully disobey scripture, or act in ways that could be considered foolish or unwise, if not outright sinful. It is a life of always choosing the popular path, thought, opinion, or fad.
I have witnessed so many "Christians" lately defending things that are blatantly and irrefutably forbidden in scripture, or refusing to do things expressly commanded in scripture. It seems we have adopted an "if it doesn't work for me, I can ignore it" view of all of the Bible. Unfortunately for those people, the Lord hasn't changed; his Word IS indeed still valid, and he did mean for us to obey it, even in this enlightened (sarcasm) day and age. When we don't follow His plan, our lives are a mess and our families fall apart, including our marriages; we are stressed, depressed, and wondering what the heck is wrong. Not that doing things the Lord's way is the key to a problem-free life, but at least it brings resident peace that lasts throughout the storms, and confidence that disobedience is not the root of the problems. A clear conscience before the Lord is invaluable. The apostle Paul, Luke, and Peter all spoke of living with clear consciences. We can do it. We should do it.
Things that seem to be negotiable/optional when Christians have Suburban Syndrome:
1. Not only can women (wives) with children work and NOT be keepers of their home AT home, but they can be the undisputed bosses and heads of their households. (Refer back to Titus 2:3-5 for what God thinks about this)
2. Modesty. Not talking about being covered from head to toe. Just a minimum standard because when God says we are to be modest, He MEANT something. It literally means that there are things that should not be seen while wearing clothing. And that there are certain items that shouldn't be worn in public. He isn't referring to not walking around naked. He is referring to the clothing we wear.
And while on the subject, in regards to clothing, you cannot get any skimpier than a bikini, aka bra and underwear. There is nothing that you can wear smaller or more revealing than a bikini. So if God MEANS something when He instructs us to be modest, HOW can we defend wearing something that can't get any less modest? Seriously, has anyone ever considered that? Yet Christians will defend this to their deaths because culture accepts it. That's always a red flag for me, as it should be for anyone trying to follow Christ's way, because culture didn't like Him and it shouldn't like us, and vice-versa. I would wear a bikini for my husband IN PRIVATE where there was no one else around.
3. Women pastors and teachers exercising authority over men. In God's hierarchy, women are not the spiritual heads - not in the home, and not in the church (1 Cor 13:34-35). All of Jesus' disciples were men, and the women in scripture that people use to defend women having authority over men in the church never actually taught doctrine or exercised that kind of authority over men. We can spread the gospel and fill support roles. We are not supposed to be preaching to or teaching men.
4. Sexual Immorality - Shacking up with premarital sex, affairs, porn, and homosexuality seem to be acceptable as long as we don't have an objection personally. There isn't just one scripture against these things. Read the New Testament without skipping the stuff you don't like. It's all there.
That was the big things God has laid on my heart. Believe me, I know that a lot of people absolutely abhor this message. At one time I did too. I still don't like it when people say things I know deep down are true but I'm not listening or obeying. But I pray that God will show us all the truths in his Word and that we will have ears to hear. That we will read the Bible and believe what it says without listening to fallible man's interpretation of it. I love you all.
Debbie
Life as the mother of four children and four grandchildren. Homeschooling the two still at home. Things that interest me - reading, herbs and essential oils, gardening, natural chemical-free living, and continually learning how to be a better wife.