Jesus was single... Hello

I listen to podcasts like old, rich ladies play card games at my country club: seriously, socially, privately and often.

Recently, I listened to a podcast by Matt Carter from the Austin Stone Community Church on singleness.

It made me laugh, think and pray deeply about my condition. And no I don't mean the poor-pathetic-hook-me-up-with-your-sinlge-good-looking-friend-who-comes-from-a-great-family condition. I mean Paul and yes, let it rock your mind, JESUS'S condition.

He said singleness secures an undistracted devotion to the Lord.

I mean, Jesus was total man and total God here on Earth. He could have had his pick of any fine dame, and he CHOSE singleness. I mean, He literally could have said, "Let there be light. Let there be a white picket fence. Let there be a red Golden Retriever named Jake. Let there be a hot girl to make me chicken parmesan with a side of summer squash, and we'll make some wine from water together."-if you know what I mean in more than one sense of the analogy

Paul talks mainly ab sex up until here... Then he just gets all personal and says he wishes everyone was single. (He talks ab fellas first, but I cut that bc let's face it, I'm in this part. Go look it up here).

"I would like you to be free from concern... An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord." 1 Corinthians 7: 32-35

If Paul were to have Toomer's Coffee with me today, this verse would look more like this:

"When you are single, you can buy minimal groceries, one pair of shoes, one outfit, travel for cheap (if you'd sell that blast-it, gas guzzling Tahoe) and give all the rest to fund your friends in Campus Crusade and Grace Campus in China or sponsor Tim Tebow's dad's orphanages in South America.

And talk about 'All my single ladies put your hands up.' Have you looked at your prayer life now that you're a prayer Beyonce? It's not about anybody or yourself, but it's devoted to the Lord's will because we all know you have no idea what you're doing with your hott-mess of a life. Besides, you never remember to clean the coffee pot, and any husband would get annoyed with that quick. Then you'd be all worried and turn into Martha on me, and all that leads away from the cross."

Instead, Carter urges us to set our sights and start sprinting to the cross. He says every now and then to look around, if there is someone on the right or left to run with, marry him. But don't slow down or take a detour...

I mean, have I not mentioned I run daily already? Now, I have that calorie counter on the treadmill and Nike ID iPod attachment motivating me, but much more importantly, I have Christ in sight.

This is what we look like when we start considering our condition as leprosy or athlete's foot instead of a beautiful season...
All Single Ladies Gone Wrong... painfully wrong.