Discretion

Good Morning,

One of the tragic changes in American culture is the lack of discretion.

Proverbs 2:11 “Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:”

Proverbs 11:22 “As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.”

Discretion has to do with good judgment or good taste, both in appearance and action. Discretion will preserve; the lack of discretion will destroy. A woman without discretion is like a beautiful ring in a pig's nose. We need to speak about discretion to our young people — it matters to God!

In Proverbs 7, we read about a woman with the attire of a harlot. Obviously, forward women and forward men have always existed. I am not so foolish to say that the devil has only just begun to use inappropriate behavior to hurt the people of God, but I will say it has become very acceptable — that is the dramatic change. In the ’60s, girls wore extremely short mini skirts, and people looked at them with a measure of shame. In this age and culture, we find the pastors’ wives and the leading ladies in the church revealing far more flesh than is appropriate.

One cannot look at the news team or sports announcers without noticing the obviously well-chosen angles of crossed legs (far more noticeably than they ought) — that is indiscreet! We have become so familiar with impropriety on television that Christian men and women have lowered their standards of discretion.

Being discreet: when a lady stands too close to me, I move away. When a man or lady speaks about anything too personal or inappropriate, discretion tells listeners to shut them down or leave.

Young men as much as young ladies need to have a wall of appropriateness and discreet behavior at all times. A man should not be flattered by a forward woman, but he should rather treat her as if she was an assailant looking for the opportunity to destroy him.

Again, the trouble today is the acceptance of forward behavior: the little girls studying how to stand, how to hold their hand on their thrust-out hip, or how to wear the clothing that screams "sex" as the gal walks by a man. This acceptance of indiscretion has prompted parents to send their children to dance classes — classes that ALWAYS end up in a sensuous manner. We act as if "sexy" is a normal thought in dressing for work or for a date — but it is wrong! If we are to be pleasing to God, modesty, discretion, and keeping a blush on our girls is vital. A girl needs to realize that her level of discretion will, most often, be left up to her to keep her dating life clean; a guy simply will melt if she allows physical activity to begin. Sad, but true, the burden falls on the girls.

Timothy speaks of ladies dressing in a way that becomes godliness.

1 Timothy 2:10 “But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

Solomon wrote of the forward woman in this way...

Proverbs 7:10 “And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. 11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:”

Yes, our words matter. Yes, our dress matters. Yes, our conversation should always be appropriate.

Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech be alway with grace,”

Proverbs 4:24 “Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.”

Proverbs 10:32 “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.”

Let us all decide to make discretion a part of everyday life.

Pastor