Sunday I took my bus route home and as I was driving through the village I realized something: I've been desensitized! Really, people talk about being exposed to sin so long that you stop noticing it as sin, well it's happened. I guess little by little my innocence was stolen.
It's devilishly hot here in Croatia, it has been for weeks. Well I'm driving through the village and noticing the typically naked children running around, some 1 some 6 years old. The ladies ( and I use that term lightly because I don't believe that all women are ladies) out side in nothing but their under garments, this village is a "hell" hole. It's terrible and you know what, I didn't even notice the nakedness, not until I came to the last part of the village and I saw a rather hefty lady bending over a bucket washing clothes, sadly her bra was a bit too small and she was EVERYWHERE!!! It was shocking, then I realized, I've been desensitized.
This is the def. I for desensitize:
- : to make (a sensitized or hypersensitive individual) insensitive or nonreactive to a sensitizing agent
- : to make emotionally insensitive or callous; specifically
- : to extinguish an emotional response (as of fear, anxiety, or guilt) to stimuli that formerly induced it
This is what has happened.
When we first came to Croatia it was very difficult for me. Sex and nudity was everywhere. Hey I had two little boys I was trying to protect.
Once, we were in the capital and we ran into one of these horrid spectacles. So you know, we have a rule in our family not really a rule as a practice; when we see something bad to the left we say heads right, if it's infront of us then we say heads down, and it's not just for the kids either. We all do our best to guard our minds. Anyhoo, one day we were driving and to the left was a full billboard for playboy, a totally naked woman from head to toe, so I gave the needed command and all eyes went right. Oh no! The same billboard was on the right also, so then I said "eyes strait" Well guess what! There she was that same woman, void of any conscience, staring back at us from the auto bus infront of us. It was horrible, so for the next 10 minutes we all rested our eyes until we made it out of that sin-pit.
This was our first experience in a big European city, it wasn't all it's cracked up to be, let me tell you.
Well back to my desensitivity. I just had this epiphany and I realize how unaware I am to the sin around me. So I'm going on high alert, or is it red alert? I'm going to do my best to use Scripture to bring back to my mind the wickedness and sinfulness of life here in Croatia. It's not okay to be naked, it's not okay to show those feminine parts to anyone but your spouse and God does not delight in our uncoveredness.
It's not like we have a choice to go into the village, there are hundreds of lost souls in there, someone has to go. Someone has to give them a chance to except Jesus, how will they ever see sin as God sees it without His Spirit.
Anyhoo, this is one missionaries journey back to being sensitive to sin. The only thing I can think of doing is using God's Word to remind me how horrid this sin is, even though I already know, maybe if I meditate on what God thinks of it then I will again be able to sense sin at first glance.
Oh, Tori! I know exactly what you mean, although Chile isn't as bad a Europe.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing to note is that usually people become de-sensitized while sinning. And you proved that you can become desensitized even if you are not sinning, that just being surrounded by it is enough.
Thats why I wonder about people who can send their kids to public high school.........
Thanks for the good "heads down" idea. I've got a little boy, too.
R
Oh my. I'm thankful it's not as blatant here in the States. Yet, I believe we become desensitized the the media as well. Praying that God' will give you wisdom.
ReplyDeleteTori, thank you so much for this post. I think it can speak to all of us, whether we are out on the mission field, or just at home. Sin abounds everywhere. Not too long ago I was at the supermarket, and there was a lady in a pair of shorts. Her b*tt ch*eks were literally hanging out. I was happy that my children were not with me. That is a great rule you have. We normally tell them, close your eyes. lol Thank you, once again.
ReplyDeleteTori, thank you so much for the reminder today to be sensitive.
ReplyDeletePraying for you and your family!
Your post reminds me of one of my favorite quotations: “Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As to be hated needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, we first endure, then pity, then embrace” - Alexander Pope.
ReplyDeleteI like the "eyes right" thing. When my little boy sees something naughty on a magazine cover at the grocery store, he puts a hand up like blinders to shield himself from the magazine. He came up with that on his own. I'll tell him about what ya'll do.
This was a real eye opener. I have never been farther than Mexico or Canada. I guess I am a little naive.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing that, Tori. How it vividly assures that the people of Crotia (and people around the world) desperately need the Lord Jesus. And how it is crucial for us to be in prayer for our families and for our missionaries.
ReplyDeletePraying for you and your family.
~ Christina
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I have seen how bad it is in European cities, yet I was only a visitor for a couple weeks. I can't even imagine living there for years. Thanks for sharing....now I know how to pray for you better. :)
ReplyDelete(((Hugs)))
Wow, how very sad! And to think that America is heading that way too...The women here don't walk around in their underwear, they call it "clothes". I saw a woman in the grocery store on Saturday whose sweat pants came down almost to her crotch. I looked away in embarrassment. In mentioning it to a friend, she asked if I had told her. I didn't because I assumed it was purposeful! It's hard to tell these days!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were in Walmart a couple of weeks ago and a lady was wearing what looked to be white, cotton bike shorts.....but honestly it looked more like underwear...oh my!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Tori!
Oh and I can totally relate to the de-sensited thing.....do a media fast (tv, movies, radio) for several weeks and then turn it all back on. Even the news will shock you! And don't get me started on the commercials!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right....nakedness is everywhere!! That is one reason why I don't like summertime so much as other seasons of the year. It is the time of year that people walk around with the least amount of clothes on. We too have a saying when one of us takes notice of something that none of us should be looking at..."ponder your feet!!" That way everyone is looking down at their feet and don't see what we shouldn't be looking at. Proverbs 4:26 "Ponder the path of thy feet...." It really is wicked how people are dressing and what people are doing out in plain sight these days. My husband has always said...the closer a person is to God the more modest they'll be. The more distant a person is from God the more they'll take off and not be ashamed!!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog! Happy to have found it. God bless you and your family!
ReplyDeleteOh, reading this has reminded me to keep your families in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree...we can all become de-sentsitized and even the states have done so, as a society. I agree about the media, the commercials, the TV shows and movies...it's a slow process, so we don't feel the shock of it so much. If you would have show what is shown now just 30 or 40 yrs. ago, people would have been outraged. But the devil tricks society's decline by chisiling at it slowly.
I know you have it even worse where you live...God bless you for the work you are doing and our family will be lifting yours up in prayer.
~Tammy
I didn't know it was so bad over there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the prayers ladies.
ReplyDeleteI remember when we were home for furlough last time, I was in shock at how bad it's getting there.
I think it's getting this way world over. In every area we are failing to even consider what God thinks, it's so sad but expected.
I thought this post was so good Tori that I linked to it from my blog.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know. (o:
Wow! I have heard that Europe is bad for that kind of thing, but I had no idea!
ReplyDeleteI see people quite often here with clothes falling down/off, or they didn't put that many on to begin with.
Oh, and the magazine stands in the grocery stores are just awful to look at.
I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
Kelli
Hi, Tori! I have visited your blog quite a few times, and I enjoy reading what you are thinking. I appreciate this post especially as it is a much-needed reminder for all of us. I'm linking to it from my blog, so I hope you won't mind. :~) I think one reason I'm so drawn to reading what you have to say about your field is that my husband has quite a bit of Croatian in him. It's interesting (and sad, in this case) to read about all that takes place over there.
ReplyDelete~Arlene