Treating the Cause vs. Treating the Symptoms

"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins people commit are outside their bodies, but those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." -Paul, To the Corinthians (1.6.18-20)

The Associated Press reported the results of a new study which showed that one in four teen girls (ages 14-19) has a sexually transmitted disease. The article also included these statements: "The CDC's Dr. Kevin Fenton said given that STDs can cause infertility and cervical cancer in women, 'screening, vaccination and other prevention strategies for sexually active women are among our highest public health priorities.'"

What would you say about a person who constantly has a fever, but never tries to figure out why? They just keep taking aspirin and putting cold cloths on their forehead, but they never go to the doctor to find out why they have fever week after week. We'd call that person foolish, wouldn't we?

In the same way, the report talks about the need to screen and vaccinate sexually-active women. The CDC is concerned about the spread of these diseases. I am too; however, these diseases will continue to appear and increase if we don't address the cause-sexual immorality.

We can talk about the reasons young people have sex, but I'm not sure that will really help. Just because I understand why I do something doesn't mean I'll stop doing it. No, it seems to me that we need to do some teaching, some parenting, and some encouraging.

By teaching, I mean we need to teach people what godly sexual behavior is and show our kids the results of not following God's teaching. Having STDs is one consequence of not following God's teaching. Teen pregnancies, abortion, adultery, divorce, fatherless children, etc., are additional consequences of not following His teaching. One of Bill Clinton's cabinet members publicly stated almost all poverty could be eliminated if people would graduate from high school, get married after they're 21, and then have children in a marriage relationship. The Bible talks about sex, so the church needs to do the same. Otherwise we turn sex, something God gave us to enjoy, over to a perverted world.

By parenting, I mean taking the time and energy to butt into your kids' lives. Mary Steppe sent me a flyer about a parenting seminar. One of the lesson titles was something like, "Get out of my life, but can you take me to the mall first?" Having had two teen-aged sons taught me how necessary it is to butt into your kids' lives. They're not going to let you in for the most part. They may not lie to you, but they won't tell you stuff they think will get them into trouble. Check up on them, talk constantly to them, test their explanations, check out their friends, do what you need to do to parent. The state may want you to just be a hotel/cafeteria/ATM for your children, but God wants you to parent.

Finally, by encouraging I mean let your kids know they are wonderful and special. They'll think you're just saying that because you're their parent and it's your duty. Give specific examples (ala Philippians 4.8, but applied to what your kids are and do). Show them in the Bible what God says about how they're made and loved by Him. They will still want to be valued by their peers, but that won't have as much power if you're there being genuinely encouraging.

God is the real solution to the STD problem. He deals with the cause, not just treat the symptoms.

~Shawn