Unstained

James 1:27~ "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

I'd just like to write a misc. something right now. God wants us to stay unstained from the world we live in. How do we do this? What does it look like? It's real easy to not do this.

There's a lot in our society that has changed over the years. I just read a book about a Norwegian-American immigrant mother who walked across the U.S. with her daughter in 1896. Back then women wore dresses down to their feet, stayed home with their children & usually bore as many as they could. I'm not saying this is an example of the golden days or anything. It's just an example to start with. Think about how different our society is now! Yes, that was a long time ago...but things are changing every day. American society is a good example of a lenient society. Just think about it for a minute.

It's okay for there to be half-naked people on billboards- right outside our homes- for those of us who live in the city. I've even watched some very innocent-seeming children's movies w/my daughter & had to either turn them off, or decide we wouldn't be checking that out from the library ever again! With the majority of people in this day & age, a lot of stuff is "okay". I'm all for unschooling (a type of at-home learning) & will be practicing it in my home. Another name for this is "child-led" learning. But some parents go so far as to not discipline at all. To watch their child hit another child, or take from another child, without saying a word. They figure the two children will figure it out for themselves. & will the children ultimately come up with a loving solution? Will they learn to put others first? Or are children selfish by nature?

The Lord wants a pure bride. Unstained. Does this mean we have to be perfect before He'll except us? Of course not. He came to save & love unconditionally the hurt, broken & lost. Does this mean we can do whatever we want? Don't think so. Christianity has gotten a bad rap. Some people think we claim to be perfect & then they see us doing things that are far from that, & think, "Ha! Those Christians are all hypocrites." The most important thing to our Lord regarding His followers, is to love Him whole-heartedly, & to love others above ourselves. How many completely selfless people do you know? There's not a lot. I just read about a group in Portland (one of the least Christian areas in our country), who every Friday night, go under a bridge in the city, where the homeless come & these people feed them & wash their feet! Can you imagine? But that's what Jesus did for those He loved.

A lot of people may call you old-fashioned; a nerd; uptight; a baby. Can you think of any other names a person would be called if they didn't do things that pretty much the whole of society does? A square, sheltered...I could go on & on. People who truly live for Jesus lose friends, sometimes even spouses. Some are pushed away from their own family. Remember when Jesus said that because of Him, a family would be divided? A lot of people say that Jesus came to bring peace. But in Luke 12:51, Jesus says, "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division." & again in Matt., 10:34, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." He then goes on to talk about division between people because of Him. Even within a family. I suppose He did bring peace in a way. Peace between us & our Creator. He reconciled us, bridged the divide. Thank you Jesus!

So I guess that's it. I was just thinking about how hard it is to not let the world stain you sometimes. I'd love to hear others' thoughts on this. Your experiences... Love you all!