CAKE AND SUGAR
Lately I've been doing a lot of thinking about sex. Maybe its those ever raging hormones of my youth but also I've been reading Rob Bell's book SEXGOD.
Why is it that the very title seems to give us a jolt, as if we're all asking, "What does sex and God have to do with each other?"
God and Sex.
This question of what God has to do with sex is real in spite of the obvious answer of "he created it." A valid point, but hardly obvious, especially when we look at sex today. Today sex has been diminished down to a spoonful of raw sugar.
Imagine a world renowned chef stands before you and describes the cake he's about bake. He tells you about each of the freshest ingredients that he's gathered from around the world to bake into a delicious gourmet cake. Then he makes you an offer; you can either have a bite of raw sugar now, or a bite of this award winning cake later.
Now, or later?
Sex, the kind of sex that God intended is meant to be like this cake.
When sex is diminished down to a spoonful of sugar its no wonder people say "its no big deal." But it is a big deal. It is because everywhere we go we're surrounded by opportunities to consume sex.
Sex isn't just the act of intercourse; this is why Jesus said that just looking at another woman is committing adultery. Because sex is looking. Sex is seeing the curves of a woman's body and the muscles of a man's. Sex is foreplay, it is skin, and warmth. Sex is the first touch, and sex is the ultimate connection.
And this is why Sex Sells. Because EVERYONE wants to feel connected. So the car companies put a woman in a bikini next to the car and someone looks. They look and subconsciously the car = sex = connection. Clothing and perfume companies show women laughing and feeling beautiful, because beauty = love = connection.
For better or worse our lives are centered around connection. We feel connected when we go to church and people relate to one another about certain beliefs. We feel connected when our boss, supervisor, or professor tells us what a good job we're doing. We feel connected when we tell a joke and people laugh. We feel connected when we are deeply accepted by another person.
Connection.
The ultimate connection isn't just sex. It is sex and God. If he is the initiator of the ultimate connection, then he must be the master component of ultimate sex! Because only God will ever accept us so deeply. Only He desires us so entirely in all our imperfections that in turn makes us feel connected.
Without God the sex picture is incomplete. Its like baking a cake without the flour.
Everybody's looking for the cake but often we settle for a spoonful of sugar.
Remember our imaginary chef. His offer was for a bite of the cake, just a bite. This is also a parallel for sex because (even within the bounds of marriage), sex requires self-control and boundaries. Self-control is the constant tension we feel when we apply wisdom to a situation, and without wisdom sex is like a kite without a string.
Keep an eye out for "Sex, Kites, Cake and Sugar Part II" where I'll explore the idea that sex within the bounds of self-control and wisdom yields better sex!
I'd love to hear your two cents! Comments and criticisms are welcome.
2 comments:
Brittnie, I LOVE IT! What a great analogy with the cakes (and oh my goodness, what a gorgeous cake you are holding too!!!). Please submit to Insight...this is great! insight@rhpa.org or shayna@rhpa.org if you want me to do it. :)
The critique (whoops): There are a few grammatical errors that I would clean up, but otherwise the content was cohesive and easy to follow. I think the depth of analysis was appropriate for a teenage audience and your word count is fine. Insight usually purchases articles between 1000-1500 words...can't wait to read part II!
Hey Brittnie!! I love the blog--it's excellent! It is a great analogy that you've developed very thoughtfully. Some comments:
I think you can/should more thoroughly develop the explanation about how God comes into the picture of sex. What does He have to offer that makes the difference between the sugar and the cake? (This may be related to what we discussed on Sabbath.) But even just drawing more deeply on the connection part: what exactly does that mean for my daily life? There is a Psalm that I've heard used to describe God in an intimate way that would be perfect for this. I'll try to find it for you.
Also, I think that you probably shouldn't introduce so much about the kites at the end of the blog. If you want to keep people coming back for more, I think a more complete conclusion to the cake analogy and then a quick question like: "Next week: what do kites have to do with sex?" will be sufficient. As it is, it feels like you've started a whole new analogy and then dropped it.
One more thing to consider: the cake analogy is cool because you don't HAVE to have cake--it just makes life sweeter. But do you want to say anything about people who remain single their entire lives and never get sex? Cake is extra, bonus. I don't know if you even want to pursue that part of the analogy.
Excellent writing! You're so awesome and original! I love you!
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