So here we are again trying to make sense of this strippin
ordeal but before we continue, I want to make sure we’re on the same page, so
let’s do a quick re-cap again:
Ian, Bart’s oldest and dearest friend, “reads Bart’s mail”
through a dream that God gave him three days in a row, almost as if Ian was
watching Bart’s secret life on the big screen for the past year. While simultaneously we got a sneak peek of
the conversation that was about to begin with Jucinda and Charli, which is
where we’ll pick up.
Charli was no stranger to cussin’ (foul language), she was
taught by some of the best cussers in Brooklyn: her aunts Viola and Anna-Mae
and her momma, Abilene. Even though she
loved the Lord with all her heart, she still had to think before she “slipped
up”. She made a conscious effort to use words
seasoned with grace (Let your
conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right
response for everyone. Colossians 4:6 (NLT). But
Jucinda was “on 10” right now, using expletives and stringing choice words
together like a cussin’ poet. She was mad
as all hell bubbling over spewing hot lava on anyone within earshot. Unfortunately for Charli she and her little
poodle Angel were the only ones within her vicinity. Angel was so freaked out he jumped in Charli’s
lap and tried to nestle his head between Charli’s arm and stomach as he
shivered seemingly to avoid the lava spewing from Jucinda’s mouth. Charli wasn’t offended at all, just concerned
for Jucinda because she had never seen her this upset but the Holy Spirit led her
pray to for her friend silently and to allow her to vent. After several minutes of cussing, ranting,
slamming doors, drawers and cabinets she started to calm down.
She came to the living room, sat on the couch, closed her
eyes and started to sob silently. Her
entire body started to shiver like a little girl at a loss for words but who
desperately needed to vent because of the hurt, anger, frustration and
confusion bottled up inside so crying was her only release. Charli never said a word, she just continued
to pray for release. When Jucinda was
all cried out, she opened her eyes, looked at Charli and said, “I started
strippin’ at the end of our freshman year.
My stage name is Juci. I needed money
because I’m addicted to it and minimum wage wasn’t gonna get it. It was either dance or sell dope and I had
enough of that when I was at home. Bart was one of my regulars. I always knew there was something strange
about him, not in a freaky kind of way, because he’s a square. He never got drunk, he was always respectful
but he seemed almost sad about being there even though he kept coming back. Something told me he was a preacher so I asked
and he said no so when I saw Bart at your church it reminded me of my father
the hypocrite preacher who cheats on my mother.
He even got a baby momma and he has the nerve to judge and try to preach
at me. I don’t want nothing to do with
a God that lets a man hurt a woman the way he has hurt my mother and live a lie
to his church members. Bart’s fake just
like my father and I could have ripped his head off when he lied about knowing
me. I hate liars and hypocrites.”
Charli could tell that Jucinda’s anger was more directed at
her unresolved issues with her father than with Bart but she just let her
talk. Finally Charli said to Jucinda, “Is
that all? Girl, I’ve been strippin since
I was 17 years old and that’s real.”
Jucinda’s mouth dropped to the floor.
In the meantime, Bart finally broke his silence and said: “Man,
if I didn’t know the power of God, I would swear on everything I love that you
have been following me for the past year.
The truth is that I went to this strip club for my cousin’s bachelor
party. I debated for weeks about going, God even provided an escape for me
because the Men’s retreat was the same weekend but instead I gave into the
pressure from my cousin. I felt like a
fish out of water when I was there. It
was so noticeable that one of the groomsmen asked if I was gay. I wanted to punch him in his mouth but
decided I could just see the headlines “preacher attacks another man at the
strip club”. Then this girl came out and
danced like I have never seen before in my life. Everything about her was perfect and every
move she made seemed to draw me into her.
Man, she so breezey I got lightweight light headed and the way she moved
(in other words she was so beautiful it took his breath away). Man I ain’t never seen anybody move their body
like. She made it seem effortless almost
like a snake wraps itself around a tree or slithers on the ground completely
unrestricted. After that night I couldn’t
get her out of my mind so I snuck back to the club alone, again and again and
again. Each time I went I heard the Holy
Spirit screaming at me not to go but I ignored him and it became easier to plan
the next time I would go and his voice became less and less noticeable until eventually
I didn’t hear him because the more I went the more comfortable I became in that
environment. The dancer’s name is Juci
and she came to the Blakewood campus today while I was filling in at the front
desk for a co-worker who ‘just happened’ to go home sick today. I was outdone when she walked into the foyer
with Charli earlier today. It turns out
they are roommates. We were both giving
off funky vibes that I know Charli could smell because you could see it in her
face. When she asked if we already knew
each other I quickly jumped in and said no.
The hatred in Juci’s eyes felt like she stabbed me in my throat. Man, I feel so stuck right now. Everything that I have worked for is lost, my
cousin no longer respects me, I’m a liar, a preacher addicted to porn, I grieved
the Holy Spirit, brought shame on the ministry and I can’t talk to anybody
about my problem because they will ostracize me and I will never live it down.”
Ian was in total shock but he didn’t show it because he didn’t
want to come off as being judgmental.
Even though he prayed silently as Bart confessed he asked God for a
quick word to minister to his fragile and naked friend. The
Holy Spirit gave him exactly what to say and he said: “Listen man, In 2 Samuel
11 King David’s exposure by the Prophet Nathan who “read the King’s mail” about
the King’s wickedness – committing adultery with his friend’s wife and murdering
the friend so he could marry the wife to cover up the unplanned pregnancy – was
far greater than what you have experienced.
I’m not condoning your behavior it was absolutely wrong, but think about
this: King David was also seduced by Bathsheba’s beauty but it wasn’t her
fault. She was where she was supposed to
be, on her rooftop taking a bath, but King David was out of place playing a “peeping
Tom” as he spied on her and allowed his lust to overtake him and he ordered her
to his palace for a booty call. God exposed
David’s cover up, David immediately repented and God immediately forgave David. David is known as the man after God’s own
heart, he was a God-chaser and God had to get him together when he got off
track but he still loved David. God’s
word cannot lie, if you confess your sins, he will forgive you according to 1
John 1:9 and not only will he forgive you but he will restore you even though
there may be some consequences as a result of your disobedience as there were
for King David.
Once Jucinda picked her mouth up off the floor, Charli
continued: “Yes Juci, you heard me
right. I am an active stripper and I’m
not shame. Stripping is in the
bible. Ephesians 4:21-24 (NLT): Strip
yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self]
which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through
lusts and desires that spring from delusion; And be constantly renewed in the
spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude]. And put on
the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, [Godlike] in true
righteousness and holiness. I don’t know all of the circumstances around
your father, his ministry or Bart, but I do know this, God loves you right
where you are, he just doesn’t want you to stay where you are. You can’t use your Dad or Bart’s drama as an
excuse to run from God. Girl, quit playing, you can’t outrun God. God has a custom designed plan just for you
but the only way to discover it is to strip yourself of the weight of your
current lifestyle so you can put on the new you, but only if that’s what you
want. God will never force his goodness on you.
He gives us the choice to remain miserable, unfulfilled and empty.
I am out of time, we will have to pick it back up tomorrow.
In His Excellent Service
Tania not Tanya
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