No Flirting

Quartet music has always been my favorite kind of all kinds — gospel quartets, barbershop quartets, and the old popular quartets. And one of the engaging songs back in my college days, sung by either the Four Freshmen or the Four Preps, was "Standing on the corner, watching all the girls go by." It was one of those that brings a smile, because of the close harmonies; and you find yourself bobbing to the rhythm. But then you start to think about the words.

The song is innocent enough, I suppose, by present day standards. I don't listen to much popular music at all; but from what I hear it's a good thing that I can't understand the words. And I don't listen to rap on purpose, because I can understand most of the words when I hear one of those.

But the lyrics of that old quartet song have made me more and more uncomfortable as the years go by. And that's the issue that Jesus talks about, that we want to think about this morning. Someone immersed in the world's culture, who makes no pretense of following the Savior, and who lives like the animal that humanists say he is, can sing "you can't go to jail for what you're thinking" with gusto. And it is true that the law won't arrest us for our thoughts. But you and I know that there are some things that are legal that aren't right — activities and actions, as well as fantasies and intentions.

We follow Jesus, though. And his Sermon on the Mount (from which this morning's text comes) presents a superior ethic, presented to his disciples. It's a superior way to live, in every way, as well as being the way to grow as a follower of the king of kings and lord of lords. What I think does matter. It shapes my relationships. It is a prelude to what I do. So, one thing that the Holy Spirit and I work at in the clean-up is "flirting with sin."