How Much Do We Compromise with the World?

I heard a disturbing conversation the other day when I was waiting for my various tests at the cardiologist's office. It really made me stop and think. I was waiting to be called for a particular procedure and quite a ways across from me, two of the ladies that work in the office were chatting. It was early in the morning and they were catching up with one another. It was also one of those conversations that were loud enough so that one could not keep from hearing it. What disturbed me was the topic of their conversation. One of the ladies was talking about her seven year old son and describing a recent magazine (don't know which one) that is out which is highlighting some of the best athletes from various sports, cycling, rock climbing, etc. What was especially alarming is that she tells her that all of these athletes were filmed with no clothes. Now, from what she described, you did not get the full view of them, but it was nevertheless, quite shocking. The fact that this is in a magazine of this world does not surprise me, but I must admit, I am still shocked sometimes with people's reactions to these type of things. Although I agree that God made the human body beautiful, I do not agree that it should be viewed by others. God made the body to be seen by our soul-mates, to do otherwise, cheapens what God has made beautiful. But, what was an even greater disturbance to me was the fact that she was laughing about how she showed this magazine to her son, how he couldn't put it down, how he held it close to him, took it and put it by his bedside and then even spent the next morning in the car on the way to school looking at it. (He is currently attending a very reputable Christian school in the area). I was shocked at the fact that the thought of exposing her child to sin never even occured to her. And then, it began to dawn on me all over again. It is a constant struggle and it takes real diligence, watchfulness and much prayer and Bible study to keep one unstained by the world. We are so surrounded by sin everywhere we go. It is increasingly harder and harder to be in the world and not of it. I am grieved from the images my children are constantly bombarded with just in standing in a check out line in a grocery store! I purposely stay away from the mall to keep them from seeing all the huge posters of women wearing nothing more than their undergarments! I try to keep them away from big name electronic places that blare ungodly music and images on huge screens to target the eyes, ears and minds of my little ones. And then I began to think, "Are there areas where I am compromising with the world?" I remember when the Lord convicted me some time ago about movies. Although I was never an R-rated watcher...sometimes it would be alright to watch a PG or PG-13. Then God brought to mind this question, "Would you watch this if I were sitting right there on the couch beside you?" Ouch, that one cut. So, I began to change my viewing habits drastically. Now if there are movies rated PG or PG-13 and the story looks decent (and believe me...that is getting harder and harder to find), I watch them using a filter stick to make sure that profanity and other ungodly scenes are cut out. Most of my watching consists of BBC productions and Franklin Springs or Vision Forum movies. But, it is so easy to get so desensitized by the things of the world that our consciences are no longer even pricked when confronted with some of these issues. There are so many areas that the Lord has opened my eyes concerning worldly compromise. Maybe I will share them little by little with you all. All of them at once may be overload!! But, I am sure there are others as well...ones I don't even know about yet because, once again, I am a product of my culture and I haven't asked the big question. Just because I have always done this, everybody else does it, no one else seems to think there is anything wrong with it...God is it alright with YOU? And that my dear friends is the real issue and the one that counts for eternity.
"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27
May we constantly keep working on our spot removal! May God give you a holy weekend!