Accusations and Abuse

Every day the headlines bring more news of high-profile men who’ve been accused of sexual harassment and/or abuse.  This week the big story was about NBC’s Matt Lauer.  On October 5, when accusations against Harvey Weinstein came out, the floodgates burst open.  Since then, numerous women have been emboldened to open up about the mistreatment they’ve endured and felt pressured to conceal.

We should be deeply thankful for the shift of social momentum such that victims of harassment and abuse are feeling more free to speak up; we should be grateful that the wall of power-privacy-intimidation-sin behind which many men have hidden is now crumbling.  Think how good it is that the cover of secrecy is no longer so readily avail­able to the men who would exploit the women around them!

This is a moment in which Jesus is calling his church to lead counter-cultural, God-honoring lives before the watching world.  Specifically, he summons us to exhibit upright, affirming, respectful male-female relationships—for his honor and our good and society’s instruction.

Let me say a word to men and boys:  Be like Boaz (see the OT book of Ruth).  Commit to protect and honor the women and girls God brings into your life.  That means no harassment or abuse—of course.  But it also means, as Jesus taught in Matthew 5:27-30, that we commit to refrain from sexual sin with our eyes and in our minds.  Loving God “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37) involves devoting your desires to, and focusing your vision on, his glory.  Yes, it’s counter­cultural to opt out of the lewd talk that may be common at school or work—but that’s part of what it means to take Jesus seriously.  Read Rachael Starke’s Gospel Coalition article, “Be a Boaz in Your Business.”

And to women and girls, let me just say this:  Please pray for us—for the men and boys in your families and in our church family.  Pray that we’d grow in our faith in Christ so that his glory would captivate our vision and passion.  Pray that we’d be vigilant in read­ing and applying Scripture, even if God’s standards of purity are utterly out of step with secular culture.  And pray that we’d be courageous, godly servant-leaders who bless and encourage you, our sisters in Jesus!

In addition to Rachael Starke’s article, let me draw attention to a couple responses from Christian leaders that are especially important for us to take in:  Definitely take time to read Mary Kassian’s sobering, statistics-laden article, “You Too:  A Call to End Violence against Women” (the enormous #metoo outcry has “exposed the sheer magnitude of sexual harassment and other forms of violence that women suffer”—and don’t miss Kassian’s urgent appeals to her Christian brothers and sisters).  And also check out Tony Reinke’s article, “The Crisis of Masculinity” (true masculinity is about “men not bent on taking, but giving.  Men not fixed on self-gratification, but ready to sacrifice self for her good”).