Email: From Distraction to Action [DB]

I honestly can't believe some of these articles in Christianity Today (or any other Christian magazine). It's like a CT editor told me once: The Wheaton environs have become a Christian enclave with no concept of what the real world is like.

Yes, Satan would like to distract Christian as well as non-Christian singles with career advancement, socializing, dirty dancing -- anything sinful or even merely good that will keep us from helping others in Christ. But I see the problem more as due to singles' own ignorance and lack of preparation.

The author (of yesterday's Christianity Today article "From Distraction to Action") is a journalist and didn't know that such atrocities against women go on around the world? She's never been out dancing in public before? She's holding hands with a guy who she hasn't asked first if he's married? Has she ever heard of, much less read, the book Never Be Lied to Again?

My point is always this: How can we be ready to face and address these social conditions with the Lord's courage if so many Christians don't even know the lay of the land? Christians have created their own ghetto to preserve themselves from impurity; but as with the refugees to suburbia, that means no one is working to improve the inner city.

We live in a free country and are justified to pursue our own happiness and make meaningful contributions through marriage, family, career, ministry and so on. However, the day that it becomes all about us and nothing about Christ is the day we have strayed too far.

The author [for whom I have total respect] is clearly what I call a "professional Christian" who is all about befriending and ministering to other Christians. I wonder how many non-Christians she counts as friends and knows well. "Bold prayers" to be protected from "Satan's snares"? It's easy to feel bold in training camp -- but God wants us to be snipers and special forces right out in the arena of battle. That's where we develop our courage: on the front lines, not behind them.

Spiritual epiphany is right -- but these things have been right in front of every Christian's physical eyes for every day of their lives.