Watch it. Laugh, be merry, look up other Jeffrey Dallas (or Julian Smith) videos...
Now, put yourself in my over-thinking shoes. This means you are about to analyze this video, and all life that relates to it. It also means, open the Foam Cabinet.
The world tells us many things. Now, children, there is a difference between the media and REALITY.
In media, being the best you can be is more than good enough.
In REALITY, rarely anyone ever is the best they can be in the first place.
In media, dreams do come true.
In REALITY, dreams are weird. Why would anyone want them to come true?
In media, self-esteem is valuable, important, and everyone should build theirs up.
In REALITY, self-esteem is only as reliable as the human is.
In media, love, dating, sex, kissing... before marriage... it's all the same.
In REALITY, lust, dating, sex, kissing... before marriage... it's all the same.
It's safe to say that I could be wrong. But, think about it.
And what about waffles? They are pretty tasty, are they not? Filling and usually substantial, too!
Who is Jeffrey? (The guy who "ate a jellyfish.")
Jeffrey is me. Jeffrey is you. Jeffrey is us. Humans. Living creatures. Jeffrey is selfish, and so am I.
What are the waffles?
Money.
Attention.
Lust.
Accomplishment.
Drugs.
Movies.
Lies.
Gaming.
Guys.
Girls.
Friends.
Belonging.
Music.
Food.
Pleasure.
Comfort.
Assurance.
Fame.
Success.
Winning.
Appearance.
Self.
Who are the reasonable young men?
They are everyone who momentarily has it right.
They're selfish, too, but for the sake of justice.
They are the parents who try to discipline me.
They are the teachers who spend so much time giving valuable information to me... stuff that more than half the time I don't even care to hear.
They are the coaches who pull me down... to make me better.
They are the doctors who tell me I have a problem, and this is how it can be fixed.
They are my friends, who love me a little more than I love myself.
I am not saying that "waffles" are bad. Each and every one of us struggles with a different issue. Mike may be totally against cussing, but isn't bothered by the drugs he takes. Katie may be entirely against violent video games, but doesn't struggle much with kissing, among other things. Mike may be comfortable with dressing crudely to please the crowd, but feels guilty when he touches even the hand of a girl. Katie may be fine with being attracted to other girls, but hates the feeling she gets when she tells a little white lie.
And what if Mike and Katie claim to be Christian? They adore Jesus. They live for Him as much as they believe they can, and they worship Him with genuine praise. They love God. They respect God. And they have been saved. They are going to heaven.
Does that make these things okay? Maybe, for some people. But it's not the actions that matter. It's the attitude.
Mike does drugs because his family does. His friends do. He feels comfortable doing it, but he doesn't offer them to anyone else.
Katie kisses, flirts, and is exceptionally promiscuous because her role models are her divorced parents, and her really cool older brother, who sleeps with every girl he can get. She doesn't realize she might be hurting anyone, because she doesn't ever feel hurt by it herself.
Mike dresses in provocative swagger because he likes it. His contractor pays him, too, but that's a bonus.
Katie likes girls because guys have physically hurt her. She just doesn't like them.
Mike hates cussing because that's the only way his dad talks to him. And his dad has abused and disrespected Mike all his life.
Katie hates violence because her little brother was killed in a spar with his "friends". A knife was put through his head. It was claimed to be an accident.
Mike hates physical contact because he got a virgin pregnant on their first date, and never saw her since. But her family never let him out of their scope.
Katie hates lying because her mom always lied to her. About trivial stuff like what she ate for breakfast, or important stuff like who her real dad was.
The things we like to do... it's sin if we do it against God's will. There is a saying, "If it's sin for one, it might not be for another." One man's sin is another man's song. This is REALITY, but does that make it RIGHT?
It is sin if it is selfish.
If it is selfish, it could quite possibly be sin.
It is sin if God says it is sin.
Are we perfect?
No.
Can we live without sin?
Not on this cursed earth. Most certainly not by ourselves.
Is it our right to judge the sin of others?
No.
We can point it out, but don't expect them to like you much.
Don't expect to feel good about yourself.
Is it our responsibility to keep people away from sin?
No.
We can help, but we can't force. I am not you. You are not me.
The Holy Spirit will help you, if you let Him.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
A common verse. Romans 3:23. It describes me.
It doesn't give me a right to sin.
But it also doesn't give me a right to beat myself up over it.
So what do I do? What do we do?
I try.
Again.
And again.
I repent... I turn away... I give up my life to God... I die to myself.
And for a while, I am truly filled.
Right up until I give in to temptation again. It's a sad circle that will never end until my flesh dies.
So what is the Foam Cabinet trying to tell me?
"Y'all are being selfish!"
(And in these terms, "y'all" is referring to me.)
