What Do You Do When Your Leader Disappears?

When Moses was gone for 40 days up the mountain, it turned into a “free for all” down below.  People usually behave correctly until their leader is not around.  THEN…it is up to their inner character.

Moses was up on Mt. Sinai receiving the amazing Ten Commandments…and the people were down in the valley “letting it all go down.” 

Here is what happened to Israel:

1.  Their DOUBTS emerged.

“Whatever happened to that guy, Moses, anyway?” 

When we become unsupervised, we question the values and leadership we received in the past.  “Why did I restrain myself from ___________ in the first place?”

2.  Their MATERIALISM emerged.

With Moses gone, they immediately melted their gold and fell down in front of a beautiful golden calf. 

Funny how we digress to create a god we can see. We start focusing on gold, glitter, and glamour.  Money and material goods become our “religious” passion.

3.  Their PLEASURES emerged.

“The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”  In other words, they turned their “worship” into a hedonistic, drunken, sexual brawl.  

So much for their character.  The memory of their leader was not enough to sustain their convictions and character.  Various translations say they “broke loose, ran wild, got out of control, when naked, unrestrained and unbridled.”

“WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?” was all Moses could say when he returned and saw their wild, unrestrained orgy. 

“Character is what you do when no one is there to tell you “Stop.” ”

Here is how you control your passions even when no one is watching: 

1.  Control the “eye gate” and “ear gate.”

Men mainly have to be careful about the stimulation of their eyes.  Women usually are more stimulated by what they hear.  When you SEE inflaming images or HEAR enticing words, make a “beeline” for the door.

2.  Control the “environment of passion.”

Accountability is critical.  If you are trying to maintain your standards, be careful of being alone in long periods of time in cars, apartments, and isolated areas.  Things can move really fast and having another couple around can often make the lifetime difference. 

3.  Be careful of “super-spiritual” conversations.

Someone who comes along and twists one Scripture to justify immorality is just plain WRONG.  I’ve heard several “lines” used to try to manipulate a person into relaxing their standards.   

Don’t be fooled by someone with a “prophecy,” a “dream,” or a person trying to leverage their spiritual authority for sexual favors.

“Compliance is external but character is internal. ”

4.  Maintain your “honor.”

Only date a person who demonstrates that they honor you as a person and would never dishonor you into becoming an “object.” 

Are they interested in your heart as well as your body? 

Are they sensitive to the speed you want the relationship to move (or not move)?

Decide in advance which side you will be on when there is no one around to oversee.  As the crowd “crosses over the line” will you have the courage to stay on the side of your convictions?

“Who is on the Lord’s side?”