I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 [NKJV]
Once there was a Gardener who planted a beautiful garden with almost every kind of flower and bush. Next to the flower was a rock pit that was gray and ugly. The flowers that were next to the pit started to turn their heads to the rocks and imagine what it would be like to be strong and smooth. The rocks didn't produce any seed but the flowers didn't care. As the flowers continued to look upon the rocks they began to covet the strength and size of the rocks. The flowers started to despise themselves and these flowers became known as the Fence Dwellers. The fence dwellers started to rip off their beautiful petals and they even went as far as to put clay on themselves and crouch down wanting ever so much to be like the rocks. Wanting to be something they were not created for. The fence dweller's stories soon spread to the younger flowers and the young flowers began to do the same things as the fence dwellers only they only tore a few of their petals and covered themselves only half way with clay. The fence dweller's stories spread to the rest of the flowers and soon afterward the whole garden was covered in clay. The Gardener sadly walked through his once beautiful garden and said to the garden, "Why did you do this to yourselves? Don't you know that I created you for a purpose ? Why have you rejected me?" The fence dwellers didn't hear him. The clay had suffocated them and they died without producing any seed.
Then it started to rain and the rain washed the flowers clean and from that day on they were happy to be what they were created to be.
This story is taken from the book called Raising Maidens of Virtue written by Stacy McDonald.
The rocks in this story represent men, the flowers women, and the Gardener is God.
The flowers lost their purpose. They wanted to be like the rocks but they weren't made to be rocks. Who were women created for? 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the women, but woman for man. [NKJV]
What effect did the fence dwellers stories have on the other flowers and why?
It is similar to girls that might be dressed immodestly having an influence on the young Christain lady. The fence dwellers stories seemed so bold and confident and powerful that the younger flowers started to remove their petals, wanting to be like them, yet knowing that this was not natural. Sometimes we listen to music and wear clothing that probably isn't the most modest or appropriate but we compare ourselves to the world's standard rather then scripture. Romans 12:1
The fence dwellers died without seed...
Only a woman can carry in her body the miracle of life. Only a woman can conceive and nurture this life with her own flesh and blood. Only in a woman's body can take place the uniting of mortal flesh and a living, eternal soul. This is a genuine gift, given by God, that can take place only in a woman's body and it will never be changed by lawmakers or scientist.
Today many woman are choosing not to create life. The more educated we become the less children we seem to have. We opt for career rather than life and raising children. Birth rates in the most developed nations fall short of population replacement rates, alarmingly so.
I am not supposed to dress modestly just because my parents say to and because it looks nice. These are important reasons. But I have learned that most of all I am to dress modestly because it pleases my heavenly Father. When I choose what to wear I should be thinking of others, would I cause someone [male or female] to stumble because of how I dress? Would I rather please God or man?
This story has helped me to think rightly, to stand against a culture that so strongly influences young girls to conform to a standard that leads to destruction. As girls, we can dress immodestly and not even think about the reason for doing it. I am really thankful that I have been taught how and why to dress modestly. I am sorry to see that many other girls don't know this. What is a young girl to do or how should we then live? We can live by example in how we dress and act, living to a higher standard which pleases our heavenly Father. We can speak the truth in love when opportunity is given but we must be ready to do it. And we can pray.
Posted by:
Rebecca
