Shock Value's Value
The gritty grunge of Judges
The week before Christmas, I blogged about a young lady who posted a video of herself having sex with 101 men. The thrust of the article was about how our hearts can become calloused to the noise of sexual deviation in our culture.
After conversing with a few of you, I’ve discovered that many of you were just as shocked as I was. Your hearts were not hardened at all! With all of the stuff I’ve read over the years and the types of sin my counselees bring before me, very little shocks me now. If callouses have developed, they have not dimmed my compassion. By God’s grace, I still actively seek to push back the darkness.
Some pastors have responded to that article to say that they’ve already witnessed an uptick in church folks coming forward with porn addiction, abuse, and LGBT matters. Be sure of this. It will get worse. Churches need to be informed and equipped. Our youth need to be wisely discipled. We must act.
Shock value is valuable only if it moves us to action. Despite all that has hit the news the last five years about sexual reassignment of minors, ministries like Transforming Congregations continue to operate on shoe string budgets. And most pastors remain reticent to open their pulpits or teaching lecterns to those with expertise on these delicate matters. What exactly does it take to move the needle?
Judging by the book of Judges
Many of the accounts found in the book of Judges are strange and a bit gory. A left-handed assassin shoves a knife all the way into a fat king’s belly, for example. Or the young maiden who drives a dagger through the temple of an enemy general. Then we have Samson, the hero who conquers armies singlehandedly, but who also has a sordid taste for Philistine prostitutes and hussies.
But the grungiest and most repulsive story of all is that of the Levite’s concubine. Likely you’ve never had a sermon or Sunday school lesson on chapters 19 through 21. But there’s no forgetting it once you’ve read it.
From beginning to end, it is horribly misogynistic. This man was a Levite—the very tribe of those set apart to serve God. His concubine’s status seemed little better than a slave. She became angry and ran to her father’s house about two day’s journey away. But the Levite enlisted a servant and pursued her.
After receiving the father’s warm welcome and assistance, he packed her up and headed for home a little late in the day. Pressing on through the darkening dusk, they eventually reach the city of Gibeah, and waited in the square until someone would invite them in. But no one offered. Finally, an older man walked by and was a bit alarmed that they were parked in a high crime area. He urged the three of them to come into his home.
Reminiscent of the story of Sodom, some ruffians pounded on the door and demanded to have sex with the male visitors. The host, wanting to spare his guests, offers the men his virgin daughter. But the ruckus continued. In the end, the Levite’s concubine is handed to them. They rape her all night and leave her at the threshold of the front door where she died.
The Levite’s response is even worse than the damnable deed. Once he reached home, he cut her into twelve pieces, and had some men deliver the pieces of the woman to leaders of each of the tribes, calling for them to execute justice upon the wicked city of Gibeah.
Notice the message delivered with the gory packages: “Has such a thing ever happened since the day that the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until this day? Consider it, take counsel, and speak out.”
Consider, counsel, and speak they did. All out war against the city was declared by the tribes, except for the tribe of Benjamin. Gibeah was in their territory, so they squared off to defend it.
Much slaughter and loss ensued. And more misogyny as well.
But back to the Levite’s question: Had such a thing ever happened since the Exodus from Egypt? Certainly. They had repeatedly turned to Baal worship, which included all kinds of sexual debauchery. Was there rape of both men and women? Quite possibly. It was a time where there was no king and everyone did pretty much as they pleased. I am guessing that in the dark corners of the nation, such abominable things took place.
But as I mentioned earlier, what about the absolutely blatant misogyny? Treating women as property! Suggesting that a crowd rape one’s own virgin daughter! Throwing a slave woman to an angry mob! None of this seemed to get a rise from the leadership of the nation . . . UNTIL they were smacked in the face with it by the Levite’s bloody message.
Then they woke up. And they did consider, counsel together, and take action.
Consider it, take counsel, and speak out.
Shocking news has value when it moves us to action.
One reader of this blog who also serves as an intercessor for my ministry finally decided to take action. She led a group study using my book Into the Light: Healing Sexuality in Today’s Church. That filled her living room heavy hearted parents. Now she has formed a support group for parents of LGBT children. Is she fearless? Hardly. But she has taken some courageous steps to push back darkness.
What can be done?
Lead a study of Into the Light or some of the other books I’ve recommended on this blog.
Form a book study for parents of LGBT kids, using one of the following books: Out of a Far Country by Christopher Yuan and Angela Yuan. Or When Homosexuality Hits Home by Joe Dallas.
Financially support Transforming Congregations, Harvest USA, or another ministry within the Restored Hope Network.
Sign up to be an intercessor for Transforming Congregations and receive bimonthly updates. (email me at ongley01@icloud.com)
Financially support this blog.
Let us all soften our hearts and be apart of the redemptive and healing work of God. Let’s become the healing hands of Jesus for the next generation.