Give Fear The Finger

Yeah, that finger!

This is what my friend says and A. it cracks me up and B. I just like it! Hell yeah!

The fear of human opinion disables. Proverbs 29:25
Now, there's a bible verse so I've covered all my bases.

I want to go here. Because I can.

We all have read so much on certain clothing items that might turn you on. 

We get it. 

You may have lustful thoughts if you can see the outline of a woman's under carriage.  
Good grief.

I brought up men and tight pants on social media, and how that too was distracting.
Lo and behold, I wasn't the only one who noticed this! Oddly, I never said it was at church but people knew exactly what I was talking about. I wasn't the only one seeing it.

Some things happened after this post, and I wanted to bring it up.  

I was privately told that if this happened again, I should tell the person in leadership because that is not their intention to distract the congregation.

First of all, that is not going to happen. I will never, ever ever, go up to someone in leadership and say,
"Hey, I noticed the dude next to you has super tight pants on today". Nope. Not me.

A friend said it wouldn't surprise her if a memo went out.
Good! I hope there was one circulating. It needs to be known.
Maybe it puts a little bit of a responsibility on men's plates to realize they too need to have standards in dress. You might have eyes drift to your parts because your pants are so tight.
Not because the woman in the front row is lusting for you. Ew.

Secondly, that was my point. Our intentions are equal.

The other thing was just as disheartening, a friend said that she agreed with what was being said, but she couldn't/wouldn't join in the conversation because she was friends with her pastor on social media.

Huh?

I will not quiet myself because my pastor might see it. Duh, of course within reason.

As a matter of fact, there were three 1-2-3 pastors, both genders, in on the conversation and I thank you for your input and thoughts. I don't think any of you see me differently because of me shining a light on this.

Oh, social media.
It is like ice cream, really.
A little bit isn't necessarily bad for you, but too much and it makes your stomach hurt.

I hate that social media is an adult playground, divided up into cliques.
Who you can and cannot say certain things around. It's silly.
Yes, you should have boundaries and not every single thing needs to be shared, but cheese whiz!

I want more than just Saturday evening/Sunday morning at church.
I want a place, a people, a community that I can lean on and ask real life questions without fear of what you might think of me.
I am broken. I am a mess.
But if I cannot just be me, just enjoy life, and still struggle sometimes, what the heck is the point?
What are we showing everyone else in this world?
Oh, that would be rules! Rules to follow. What to say, wear, think, vote for, believe. Ugh.

Can we be a place of hope, openness, and honesty?
Let's not shy away from real topics, not this back and forth banter about nothingness.
How are you? "Oh, Blessed and Highly Favored!" NO! I mean, yes you are, but NO.
This response is so, empty. How is your heart, how are you, _really_? Are we ready for that answer?

There are so many things that are happening around us that have nothing to do with the article of clothing you chose to wear, or your thoughts about them.

Don't fear what others might think of you. I'm sure their plank is just as big as our's.
Some are just better at hiding it.

I'm tired of hiding.

Free to give fear the finger!