Years ago, when I was young-but-old-enough-to-know-better, I found myself sitting around a camp fire. The flames danced before me and warmed me from the outside in. At one point, a single ember leaped from the chorus to perform a solo dance for its captive audience. I was so mesmerized by the beauty of that ember glowing and pulsating on its stage that I could almost hear the music that seemed to be inspiring its moves.
I wanted to touch it.
The reds and oranges and yellows were so full of life that I wanted a closer look. I wondered how the ember would behave in the palm of my hand. Would it grow dim? Would it become smaller? Would the colors melt into black? I was curious.
So I picked it up.
The harsh scream from my fingertips reminded me about everything I’d forgotten about embers. Mainly, that they come from fire. That they’re hot. That they’re not to be picked up and played with as if they were marbles.
I felt stupid and immediately looked around to make sure no one had witnessed my lack of judgment. I should have known better. Curious or not, you don’t touch fire without getting burned.
Curious?
On Valentine’s Day, the wildly successful book, Fifty Shades of Grey, comes to life on the silver screen. When the movie trailers launched several months ago, a friend told me that they were “intense.” Because I had already decided not to read the book, my decision to steer clear of the movie as well was easy. In fact, I didn’t even watch the trailer.
Until Sunday.
That was when a short, unexpected preview for the movie aired during the Super Bowl when millions of people, including me, were glued to the screen. It’s as if the ad execs knew that this was the one night a year when we don’t fast forward through commercials. But there it was, intriguing and compelling and pretty much over with before I even realized it was on. And it posed a question that begged to be answered:
Curious?
That’s one of the official taglines for the movie. Curious? Well, yes, as a matter of fact I am curious, I thought. How did you know?
Curiosity is not the problem
Here’s the thing with that question, Are you curious? Rarely does one ask it without expecting a Yes answer. Aren’t you curious about cigarettes? Aren’t you curious about what it feels like to have a buzz? Aren’t you curious to know what your old high school sweetheart is up to? Aren’t you curious to find out what this forbidden fruit tastes like? Aren’t your curious about that movie?
The tempter asks if you are curious for your benefit, not for his. Curiosity is implied in the forbidden. So he asks not because he wonders. He asks because he wants you to become aware of your own curiosity.
In doing this, he somehow twists curiosity into a dirty, shameful thing. The logic becomes: If you’re curious, then you’re guilty. So if you’re already guilty, you might as well satisfy your curiosity.
But that’s not what the Bible teaches. The Bible says that everyone is tempted (curious). Being tempted is not a sin. The sin begins when you turn towards the temptation instead of away from it.
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure (1 Cor. 10:13 NLT).
Yes, so. Or Yes, but.
Essentially, that leaves us with two ways to answer the curious question, and they both begin with Yes. Either you’re going to answer, “Yes, SO” or, “Yes, BUT.”
Are you curious?
1. Yes, so I guess I’ll satisfy my curiosity.
2. Yes, but I’ll remain content in not knowing.
I’ve acted on my curiosity before. I’ve reached out and touched fire and regretted it later. And because of those moments when my curiosity has betrayed me, I was able to watch the Fifty Shades trailer and give a completely honest answer to the irresistible Christian Grey.
Curious?
Heck, yeah! I’m curious! But you know what, Mr. Grey, I still stand by my initial decision to walk away from you and your sexy ties and smoldering looks. Not only because I may get burned now, but also because of where you might lead me later.
Oh Dear Lord….I wish for a big eraser to take away the old days when I didn’t walk away! But and I “Thank our God” every day for those times that I did!! And my life today, as I strive to walk with Him, is enriched by those times I didn’t because I’m not curious…..I KNOW. Once burned, twice SHY!!!!! Shy away, RUN, look UP, PRAY because as our sweet & very knowledgeable pastor has stated…….sin, (aka curiosity), always takes you further than you want to go & keeps you there longer than you want to stay……
Well. I/we have not watched 50 Shades of Grey BUT I can tell you about another sitcom you don’t want to watch. I don’t actually know the name of it but it came on right after Channel 13’s new& weather. We were at the hospital visiting a family member & that was the channel on. She had it muted BUT the text was scrawling across the bottom & that’s what caught my eye at first. THE I realized, in part, what was going on!!!!!! Flames of passion & seduction….it was 7pm & if ANY of our grandkids would have been there “””I””” would have been embarrassed!!!!!! Needless to say we changed the channel. I just went to go see if I could pull it up but apparently it’s only on on Monday evenings.
To LIVE the Christian life is to ALLOW JESUS to live HIS life in & through us…….it’s NOT easy but as a part of our bible study says in part, “We can go forth with full boldness & without hindrance/curiosity”, standing firm while proclaiming CHRIST…..our risen Lord & Savior.
I’m still a member of MOM & I’m constantly sending our disappointment in certain shows, (commercials), to the networks that air during PRIME TIME.
God hears our prayers & as my little grannie used to say, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”.