the right way. Too many today have lost the zest of good home-made fun with friends. There’s too much de pendence upon purely artificial means of amusement. We need to learn that the world is literally packed to the edges with things to discover and enjoy. And the best way to discover that is with friends. Then too, having many friends pre sents a thrilling opportunity. You can introduce them to the greatest Friend, Jesus (John 15:15). You’ll find some in your circle of acquaintances that do not know Christ in a personal, living way. They think that Christ is somehow boxed up in a church or cathedral. They believe that Chris tians are rather strange people who dress queerly or wear their collars backwards. What they need to know is that Christ wants to be a Friend (John 15:13) to them, the best Friend they will ever have. There’s your op portunity. Take it. But Never Be Cheap We’ve just finished saying that it’s a first-class idea to have numbers of friends, and we mean that. But may I give you this word of caution. Be friendly, but don’t be common. Have a real affection for your pals, but never get too familiar with them. Don’t fall into the habit of degrading your companionship by taking undue liberties. Don’t let your friendships be cheapened by careless familiarity. All of us have had to witness fel lows and girls who literally pawed over each other’s bodies. When they came to a party they both had to sit on the same chair, two deep. At the beach they made an unholy spectacle of themselves. In any social event you can always count on their mooning and smooching around one another. That sort of thing is nauseating to the core. And it’s as cheap as mud. Down deep in everyone’s heart there’s utter disgust for the cheap boy and more for the cheap girl. And young men, either consciously or un consciously, vow solemnly that this is the girl they don’t want to marry. Young women too, who are true to their finer instincts, highly resolve that if the “ pawing Romeo” were to ask them to say “ yes” their answer would be, “ I should say not.” Deeper than all this is the sanctity of the human body. Very definitely the body of the Christian does not belong (1 Cor. 6:19,20) to himself. Rather it is the temple (1 Cor. 3:16) of God, the Holy Spirit. We are merely custodians entrusted with the task of keeping it pure and clean, and a fit habitation for the Divine Presence.
On the screen the emphasis is on the physical side. The stars flit from one embrace to another. They kiss and kiss again. One is naturally led to think that this is all there is to love. What is not shown is the spiritual side. That love is first the union of the heart. That love is the intimate affection and communion of the soul. In the movies love overrides every thing. Whether the so-called love is right and honorable doesn’t seem to matter. If a husband stands in the way, love brushes that off. Triangles flourish, conventions are flaunted, pu rity is laughed at. To tell the truth, movie love isn’t love at all; for the most part it’s tinseled lust. Have
You just can’t be careless and cheap when you know this. Now don’t think this equals missing all the fun. The real truth is that the mooning, pawing, smooching individ ual doesn’t enjoy anything. He who loves by the Braille system soon finds life tasteless and tiring. On the other hand the girl who demands a “ hands off” attitude, and the fellow who re spects the girl’s wishes find life pur poseful and worthwhile. Friends made on this basis endure through life. Cheap friends are just not worth hav ing. Have a look at the way in which the Lord Jesus made and kept friends (John 15:13). His friendships (John 11:11) are patterns for ours. Let us conduct our friendships so as to merit His approval—shall we? Don’t Be Confused by “ Reel” Love Moving pictures are such fun. That’s because everyone loves a story. And on the screen you see the story as well as hear it. They make a lasting im pression too. For it’s a fact that we remember what we see much longer than what we hear. But while we enjoy moving pictures, the Hollywood type of amusement film is another story indeed. An impartial survey conducted by educators re vealed that the theme of most movies was a rather sordid trio: crime, sex and love. There’s little doubt that the makers of these films have sadly mis used their high opportunity to do good,.and have purposely catered to the evil natures and baser passions of men. Without question born-again Christians can ill afford to view these pictures at all. At any rate, don’t take the movies’ portrayal of love for the genuine article. The facts are that reel love is not love at all. It’s a sorry mixture of impurity, unfaithfulness, selfishness, disregard for honor all covered over with a thick layer of purple passion. In many films there’s not the slightest resemblance to au thentic love.
nothing to do with it. Don’t build your own love life on its faulty stand ards. Know the true principles (1 Cor. 13:4-7) of real love (John 15:13) from the living (1 John 4:10) and written Word of God. (CONTINUED NEXT MONTH)
M ISS ING W O R D S Can you supply these missing words of Jesus? 1. “ Let not your heart b e ................: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” 2. “ Blessed are t h e ..................: for they shall obtain mercy.” 3. “ In my Father’s house are m an y ........................, . . . . ” 4. “Wherefore by th e ir ................................ye shall know them.” 5. “ Lay not up for yourselves..................................upon earth.” 6. “ If ye love me, keep m y ........ ............. ” 7. “ And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our ....................... ” 8. “ Take heed that ye do not your alms b e fo r e ..................... ” 9. “ But the very hairs of your head are all ................................. ” 10. “ I am the vine, ye are t h e ......................”
—V ernon H oward in More Bible Quizzes
(Answers on Page 21)
F E B R U A R Y , 1 9 5 1
Page Elevei
Made with FlippingBook Annual report