"If you are 10 feet from your house, you aren't married anymore." Steve has been given this rationale many times by men and women as to why adultery is ok. Staying faithful to your spouse is virtually unheard of in the Agta culture - it is just assumed that you cannot expect to do so. Obviously, this will be a huge challenge for the baby Agta believers as they begin to apply the truths they are learning in God's Word to their daily lives. While we have talked with them some about it, we have been waiting for the Holy Spirit to show them the Truth and convict them of it.
While Steve was traveling up north with the Agta church leaders, they stopped eat. At the restaurant, one of the waitresses kept "accidentally" bumping into Steve and trying to start up conversations with him. She was very openly flirting with him even though she knew he was married. Steve tried to just ignore her, but she was very persistent so Steve finally just told the guys that he was going to go finish eating in the car and to just come out when they were done. One of the guys accompanied him to the car, but the waitress eventually followed them to the car and continued coming on to Steve! She was trying to get Steve's cell number, and she was very forward with her intentions. Steve plainly told her that he is married and not interested, but she persisted so he just rolled the window up in her face and turned his back to her.
Responding this way to flirting is unheard of in the Agta culture - it is assumed that if a man is flirted with, he will be powerless to refuse; he is "just a man" after all. Steve's response made a huge impression on the men, and it became the topic of intense conversation repeatedly over the next week as they traveled together. Then on the trip home on the bus, one of the guys noticed a girl in another seat making eyes at him and coming on to him. He tried to ignore her, but she was persistent. You have to keep in mind that, even in a culture where adultery is so prevalent, this man had a reputation for getting around. However, later he told Steve that God reminded his heart of how Steve responded and what they had talked about -- so he switched seats with someone so that the girl could not see him anymore! Then he ignored her and went to sleep. This was a HUGE VICTORY in his life. Praise God with us for the way He is at work in his life and pray with us that he - and the others - will continue to apply the truths God is teaching them to their daily lives.
1 comment:
Leading by example and not just words gets people's attention! Thank the Lord ~ nothing is too hard for Him!
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