KOTH: Square Peg - #2
All Jesus did that day was tell stories--a long storytelling afternoon.
Square Peg - #2 (rank #64) 1/19/97
Peggy is assigned to teach a sexual education class. She has to teach herself to overcome her crippling sense of shame and call body parts by their right names -- but her newfound sexual frankness makes Hank so uncomfortable that he pulls Bobby out of the class.
Quotes:
Hank: "Nobody likes a know-it-all who sits around talking about their genitalia!"
Hank: "Stay tuned for the X-Files. I thought it was some kind of porno because of the name, but it turns out it's about two young people who don't have sex. Now that's entertainment."
Analysis:
Ignorance leads to the very tempting practice of allowing the status quo to remain. Hank, as well as the rest of the parents of kids attending Tom Landry Middle School in Arlen, have a hard time accepting the path of proper instruction of their kids when it comes to sex. Hank argues correctly that it's the place of the parent to ultimately instruct their children, but proves totally inept at doing so. A large part of this is because of a vast paradigm shift that usually occurs from 1 generation to the next and the unwillingness for us to even attempt to span it.
In many ways, the adults in this episode seek the safety of the way that it's always been at the cost of their own kids ignorance of important issues. They doom their own to the same failures that they made or didn't make because of this. This reminds me of the responsibilities that we carry as Christians when we are called to walk in a new way.
17And so I insist--and God backs me up on this--that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. 18They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. 19They can't think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.
20But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! 21My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. 22Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything--and I do mean everything--connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life--a God-fashioned life, 23a life renewed from the inside 24and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
25What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.
26Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry--but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. 27Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.
28Did you used to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work.
29Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
30Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.
Ignorance is not an excuse & definitely not an option. It only divides us from truth which in our case is absolute. Allow us to embrace our most prized possession through the knowledge that He longs for us. May we shine it as He calls us into the darkness that we encounter.
It started when God said, "Light up the darkness!" and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.
But I did see that it's better to be smart than stupid, just as light is better than darkness.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn't put it out.
Square Peg - #2 (rank #64) 1/19/97
Peggy is assigned to teach a sexual education class. She has to teach herself to overcome her crippling sense of shame and call body parts by their right names -- but her newfound sexual frankness makes Hank so uncomfortable that he pulls Bobby out of the class.
Quotes:
Hank: "Nobody likes a know-it-all who sits around talking about their genitalia!"
Hank: "Stay tuned for the X-Files. I thought it was some kind of porno because of the name, but it turns out it's about two young people who don't have sex. Now that's entertainment."
Analysis:
Ignorance leads to the very tempting practice of allowing the status quo to remain. Hank, as well as the rest of the parents of kids attending Tom Landry Middle School in Arlen, have a hard time accepting the path of proper instruction of their kids when it comes to sex. Hank argues correctly that it's the place of the parent to ultimately instruct their children, but proves totally inept at doing so. A large part of this is because of a vast paradigm shift that usually occurs from 1 generation to the next and the unwillingness for us to even attempt to span it.
In many ways, the adults in this episode seek the safety of the way that it's always been at the cost of their own kids ignorance of important issues. They doom their own to the same failures that they made or didn't make because of this. This reminds me of the responsibilities that we carry as Christians when we are called to walk in a new way.
17And so I insist--and God backs me up on this--that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. 18They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. 19They can't think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.
20But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! 21My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. 22Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything--and I do mean everything--connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life--a God-fashioned life, 23a life renewed from the inside 24and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
25What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.
26Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry--but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. 27Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.
28Did you used to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work.
29Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
30Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.
Ignorance is not an excuse & definitely not an option. It only divides us from truth which in our case is absolute. Allow us to embrace our most prized possession through the knowledge that He longs for us. May we shine it as He calls us into the darkness that we encounter.
It started when God said, "Light up the darkness!" and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.
But I did see that it's better to be smart than stupid, just as light is better than darkness.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn't put it out.
posted by lee at 3:04 PM
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