Yesterday, I mentioned I had the opportunity to preach from Luke 17:1-10. In this short and powerful passage, Jesus gives us some profound teaching on temptation and not leading others into sin. In yesterday’s post, I shared the counsel I offered to the men.
In today’s post, I expand the circle for what I presented to the women to help them obey the striking words that Jesus directed toward his disciples:
“Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.”
Though I believe there is plenty to be said about this passage, (you can watch my entire sermon HERE), in a nutshell, I believe Jesus is saying something like this:
“In a fallen world, temptation is inevitable. But God’s people don’t need to be the ones extending the invitation to sin.”
There are a thousand issues on which we can bring this truth to bear, but I just want to speak to one for the ladies—the “hot topic” of modesty.
First things first.
Before we dive in, I want to make a few preliminary statements that I hope will help guide us.
First, I’m not here to judge you or beat you up on this issue, ladies.
Sometimes that’s how these kinds of posts come off (assuming a man ever musters up the nerve to write one in the first place). Please know that is the opposite of my intention here.
I want to help both women and men grow in their desire and ability to obey Jesus. That is the goal of this post.
Second, women do need to know that men are “wired for sight.”
I think this fact is readily acknowledged by most of us, yet, in my experience as a pastor, I believe many women can underestimate the weight and far-reaching nature of this truth.
In today’s culture, men are already fighting for air in a flood of immodest fashion trends, sensual advertising and pornography.
