THEY COULD NOT BLUSH
The fat is in the sun--and, we may add, "in the fire" for all who
question the various stages of undress seen in the stores and on the streets
these days. The more angular and misshapen the woman, or the more knobby-kneed
the man, the less propriety and modesty is shown. And no one blushes!
Jeremiah prophesied against Jerusalem saying, "Were they ashamed when they
had committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could
they blush..." (Jer. 6:15a).
They could not blush. It is a terrible thing when a people can no longer blush.
It means there is no sense of shame--the conscience is seared. They have so
lowered their standards that "abominations" appear acceptable. Self-respect
has been destroyed, and there is no personal pride to urge them to better, higher,
more noble attainments. Their moral "slip shows" and they "couldn't
care less."
Further, they frequently compound their degradation by a blase' smugness, as
though their calloused hearts were marks of high honor. He who blushes (should
one remain) is a "square," or maybe a "cube."
Once my wife and I visited a woman whose attire was almost non-existent. We
were so embarrassed for her that we sought to excuse ourselves; but apparently
she thought her clothing (?) perfectly adequate. She sat, chatting gaily, until
her three-year-old, wearing training panties, walked into the room. Then she
rushed the child away with a "spat" saying, "You know better
than to come in here undressed like that!" I suppose psychology has some
explanation for it.
Paul commends "shamefastness"--a word meaning "bound, or controlled
by a sense of shame--modesty." As a bedfast person is "bound"
to the bed by physical disability, so a shame-fast person has a built in sense
of right or propriety that "binds" and forbids appearing in public
carelessly or improperly clothed (1 Tim. 2:8-10).
When a friend a mine commented on the gross immodesty that prevailed in a western
resort city, he was told, "After awhile you'll get used to it." My
friend replied that he hoped not.
"Getting used to" something that degrades character and lowers moral
standards is no inducement to one who can still blush and is proud of it.
(Reprint from Robert F. Turner, Stuff About Things, p. 33, by permission).
Return to the General Articles page
Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /