I was reading in my living room yesterday when I heard this tremendous SMACK! I looked up, went to the window, and saw a poor dazed bird flopping around on the ground. He had flown at full speed into my window and had come close to knocking himself out.
I watched and waited (I wanted to see if he would get up soon, because if not, our cat would be along shortly to finish him off). He regained his composure and flew off. I went back to reading. Literally, about ten minutes later I heard the exact same SMACK and I knew that the bird had returned. The immortal words of Winston Churchill went through my mind, "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
In teaching the Song of Solomon to my church, I realize that many of us are exactly like that bird when it comes to dating, courtship, and marriage. Our choice of man or woman leads us to heartbreak and pain, like that bird hitting the window. We pick ourselves up, then run right out and go after the same kind of person, ending in heartbreak and pain . . . . again and again and again.
I wonder how long it will take for us to realize that the same actions lead to the same consequences, time and time again.
We have seen the consequences of following what the media, Hollywood, and recording artists says we should do when it comes to dating and marriage. Why do we listen to Hollywood stars, who have all been married a dozen times, about what is attractive? Why do we listen to music artists, most of whose personal lives are in shambles, about what to look for in a man or woman? We are like that bird, hitting the window again and again and again, thinking that this time that window won't be there.
I see people get together, date, move in together, and break up. Six months later, it's a new girl or new guy, with the same results. Each time there is a breakup, they look like that bird on the ground after hitting the window, dazed and confused. Then they get up and do the exact same thing with the same results. Then, after a series of heartbreaks, they conclude that women or men are awful, that love is never to be found, and that marriage is an ancient institution that is just not fit for our society anymore. They blame the institution instead of their lack of following the example given by God of how this thing called love is supposed to work.
I wonder when we as a culture will wake up and begin to do things as the Bible portrays in the Song of Solomon. I wonder when we will start being attracted to what Solomon and his beloved were attracted to. I wonder when we will start dating the way they did. I wonder when we as a society will celebrate a man and woman who do things as the Bible says instead of trying to tear them down and mock them, as is so often the case.
That bird didn't come back after the second time. I think he finally learned the lesson. I'm not sure if we ever will.
I watched and waited (I wanted to see if he would get up soon, because if not, our cat would be along shortly to finish him off). He regained his composure and flew off. I went back to reading. Literally, about ten minutes later I heard the exact same SMACK and I knew that the bird had returned. The immortal words of Winston Churchill went through my mind, "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
In teaching the Song of Solomon to my church, I realize that many of us are exactly like that bird when it comes to dating, courtship, and marriage. Our choice of man or woman leads us to heartbreak and pain, like that bird hitting the window. We pick ourselves up, then run right out and go after the same kind of person, ending in heartbreak and pain . . . . again and again and again.
I wonder how long it will take for us to realize that the same actions lead to the same consequences, time and time again.
We have seen the consequences of following what the media, Hollywood, and recording artists says we should do when it comes to dating and marriage. Why do we listen to Hollywood stars, who have all been married a dozen times, about what is attractive? Why do we listen to music artists, most of whose personal lives are in shambles, about what to look for in a man or woman? We are like that bird, hitting the window again and again and again, thinking that this time that window won't be there.
I see people get together, date, move in together, and break up. Six months later, it's a new girl or new guy, with the same results. Each time there is a breakup, they look like that bird on the ground after hitting the window, dazed and confused. Then they get up and do the exact same thing with the same results. Then, after a series of heartbreaks, they conclude that women or men are awful, that love is never to be found, and that marriage is an ancient institution that is just not fit for our society anymore. They blame the institution instead of their lack of following the example given by God of how this thing called love is supposed to work.
I wonder when we as a culture will wake up and begin to do things as the Bible portrays in the Song of Solomon. I wonder when we will start being attracted to what Solomon and his beloved were attracted to. I wonder when we will start dating the way they did. I wonder when we as a society will celebrate a man and woman who do things as the Bible says instead of trying to tear them down and mock them, as is so often the case.
That bird didn't come back after the second time. I think he finally learned the lesson. I'm not sure if we ever will.
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