Living Life Sheltered and Naive

allie • Jun 14, 2012

By  now most of you know my past.  I was the typical “good girl.”  I was raised in a Christian home with great Christ centered morals.  I went to Sunday School every Sunday and Youth Group every Wednesday.  I learned Bible verses at a young age and was taught the difference between right and wrong.  To some of you this may seem a “sheltered” life.  I did attend public school but the Lord had mercy on me and provided Christian friends that didn’t always live their faith out, but had great morals.  I was saved from seeing “culture” as some people may say.  I was completely naive to sex and sex related activities until high school, and even then my knowledge was very small.

When I met Ryan I was 23.  And quite honestly I hadn’t learned too much more in that area.  I had been surrounded by great Christian friends and was in my bubble at a Christian college.  Ry has a bit of a different testimony, and as he would say he was building a strong one for awhile:)  He is an amazing man but did experience more than I in the on goings of this world. Some of the stories I would hear from him or others would quite shock me.

I remember after being married to Ry for about 4 years , asking him if he is ever embarrassed by me.  Not quite sure why I asked that question?!?  The only thing he said is that sometimes he was embarrassed by my naiveness to things.  Oh course I jumped on the defense right away because that’s what I tend to do:)  But that was over a year ago now and as of lately I have been thinking about this topic a lot.

Our world is changing at an amazingly fast rate.  Not for the better in my opinion.  As we’ve had children you realize even more how scary of a world it can be.  Ry and I have been considering very strongly home-schooling our kiddos and I am always amazed by how many people are quick to say I don’t want my children so sheltered.  I need them to experience life.  I want them to know what the world is like out there.  And for awhile I would just nod my head and not say much.  And I am not writing this post to say everyone should home school.  I am writing this post to evaluate where our thinking has come.  As I have looked into this topic more I wish I could respond to people with, why in the world would you want them to know everything that’s in this world?? Why would you desire them to experience it??  Why would you not want to protect them from some of it??

There is a difference between being naive to the sin of the world and being naive to God and his word.  Which one is of greater importance for you and your children??

The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.   Proverbs 14:18

More than being “cultured” with what is going on in our society, I believe we need to be knowledgeable of what the Lord has called us to do.  How He has called us to act and behave.  As I was reflecting on Ry’s comment of being embarrassed of me in that area, I later praised God for it.  I thank the Lord that he has guarded my eyes and ears from the sin of this world.  I thank him for the knowledge He has given me to know what is right and wrong, what I want to engage in and what I want to stay away from.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. … Romans 12: 1-21

With that being said, I want to make sure that people realize we are still called to love on people of this world.  The sinners, the sick, the needy, the unlovables.  We are not called to run away from all things that are of a sinful nature.  We are called to not PARTAKE in them though.  We are to lead blameless lives, free of sin.  (if only it were that easy!)

I have had friends from all groups.  I have amazing Christian friends that challenge me and I aspire to be more like them.  I have friends that come right along side me daily and encourage me.  I have friends that I feel like I try to encourage them and be there for them.  I have friends with big testimonies and friends with small testimonies.  (which they are all big in Jesus’ eyes, but you know what I mean:)  And even though I am quite naive to still quite a bit, I love them all the same.  Because that’s what we are called to do.  And even though I may not have experienced all the same temptations, I endure my own on a daily basis.  I fight my own fights and am by no way claim to be perfect in any area.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Luke 6:41

What really got me thinking is of how the devil really has worked his way into so many little areas of our life.  I just wrote a blog on television and since then the Lord has been convicting me all the more on this topic.  I used to easily get sucked into The Bachelor, you know… all in good fun.  But if I asked myself what of this is pleasing to the Lord?? I just couldn’t come up with anything.  I convinced myself that since I wouldn’t watch rated R movies, and there’s only a couple of questionable scenes in the movie it was alright.   I recently have seen so many people proudly announce on Facebook books that they are reading that make me cringe at first thought, but as of recently make me want to cry.  Satan has entered so many areas of our life and this world that it is hard to not succumb to it.  I praise God for my naiveness of the world and continue to seek out His word for knowledge of how to live in this world.  I desire more of Jesus and with that being said, drastic things need to change.  And lastly I desire to keep my kids as pure as long as possible.  If this makes them socially awkward, so be it.  I’d rather have them looking awkward in this world than in the next!

If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. John 15:19

I honestly hope this doesn’t offend you, I just wanted to share what the Lord has been laying on my heart.  I pray that you would continue to increase your knowledge of the Word of Jesus and not of the pleasures of this world:)

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