I had an interesting conversation with a couple of people on standards and beliefs. And how, their alarms, or rather *my* alarms, go off at the lowest indication.
And naturally, i felt the need to write about it. Lol.
I may not have always thought a certain way throughout my years of growing up and i was/am one of those fickle-minded people you know. Double-minded? Guilty! Sometimes.
But, i don’t think that i’m fully conditioned into the way i think of certain actions, do’s and dont’s…just because of the church i’m attending. Rather, i think it’s just a reinforcement of ideals of what has already been placed before through parents, moral studies and perhaps, social circles…to a more solid ground (read : kingdom principles).
It’s certainly NOT the “i’m-better-than-you” syndrome…or “i-think-my-way-is-better-than-yours” but rather, i fully acknowledge that His way is better, His thoughts are higher (Isaiah 55:8-9). And i merely respond to certain do’s and dont’s that are probably thought of as…old-fashioned or “party-poop-ish” in the eyes of some. Heck, some might even call me a prude.
But seriously, is it wrong to hold on to principles strongly these days? Or to at least, try to? Is it deemed, narrow-minded to not want to try *new* things or be adventurous in activities of which you have no interest in?
I don’t think so.
As this may be a controversial post, i think its safe to state that these are MY stands. And thus, this is more for ME, rather than it is for whoever that reads this.
- I don’t drink. Contrary to the belief that social-drinking is acceptable and it’s *fun* to get a little tipsy cause it makes conversations easier, i don’t *like* drinking. And i fully intend to stand my ground in all future “do’s” in the office. God helping me.
- I don’t smoke. This is a no-brainer. I can’t stand the smoke itself, much less to wanna be the CAUSE of it.
- I don’t club. As much as i like dancing (with two left feet), i don’t believe that Malaysia’s clubbing scene is particularly conducive for dancing as a sport. The idea of being around the above things in abundance doesn’t appeal either.
- I don’t have flings. Relationships are precious and good things come to those who wait. Why anyone would have a summer fling (read : 3 months) instead of thinking it through and waiting for a fulfilling and value-adding relationship that could last 3 years, is beyond me.
- I don’t believe in sex before marriage/one-night-stands. Yes, i’ve read all about it in chicklits. Yes, immediate gratification may seem pleasurable. But it’s only for a moment. And from what i’ve read and heard, it doesn’t even last *that* long anyway. The act of making love should be something that’s…beautiful. And meaningful. Done by two people who love each other deeply and might i add, has made that union before men and God when they say their “i do’s” at the altar. Why would you give that up…for the sake of having one night of feeling someone next to you, only to feel dejected the moment you wake up to leave?
I don’t believe in putting myself in a position whereby i’d be tempted to feel more than i should. I speak, i guess, on matters of the heart. Someone wise once said, “the heart of the problem is usually the problem of the heart”. Sometimes, i make decisions…not based on the spur of the moment, rather, based on its consequences. I admit i’m a thinker, and sure, i’d love to live life on a whim sometimes, catering to every fancy…but how much joy would you find, if you know, at the back of your head, its gonna be short-lived?
Sometimes, i look at the world and i see…different ones trying to fill their lives with ’stuff’ and ‘activities’ that leaves them feeling no different to where they started. And as much as i’d like to thwap them on the head and say, “There’s a better way to live! Haven’t you heard of abundant living??”, i can’t. I can’t tell them that they’re settling for “just enough” instead of pursuing the “more than enough”.
There’s a difference between being a standard based on principles and a standard based on what is being commercially sold out there. I need to state that I’m not perfect. I’m certainly no angel either. I do *fall* sometimes. Stumble, once in awhile. But i get up and try to do better next time instead of getting stuck in a rut all over again. Instead of thinking, “Oh well, everyone in this world goes through it, might as well experience it and be ‘one of them’.” Why be the status quo when you can choose to live above that?
I write this so that someone out there would know that they’re not the only ones who think so. That it’s not weird or conventional to be having standards and alarms.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10,
Don’t think that I’ll hesitate a single minute to stand up to those who say I’m an unprincipled opportunist. Then they’ll have to eat their words. The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog world out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
So all hail the blinking lights! May the world see them.
