Something came over me tonight as I was driving alone. I began to think, am I spinning my wheels (so to speak)? Am I doing all this work only to create a lot of smoke and get nowhere? Is this girls' course what it should be?
As you may have heard, I'm designing a course on health and social graces to teach to some girls here on the island of Guam. The purpose is to help young ladies with their self-esteem by teaching them about personal style (modesty emphasized), to show them how to take care for themselves (health), and how to relate to others (social graces/etiquette). Above all that, is the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them.
How do these things mix is the question? Do you have to have good manners, good health, and dress modestly to be a Christian? No. Because you have good manners, good health, and dress modestly, does that make you a Christian? Absolutely not. The subject of health and social graces and Christianity are almost completely unrelated.
After all, God doesn't necessarily care about the way we look anyway- remember, unlike us, He looks at the heart instead of the outward appearance. The only reason He might care is because we care, and He cares about us.
The last thing I want to do is create this legalistic view of Christianity. All that will be taught are good things, but aren't required for salvation or God's love. It's really for ourselves (health), and for others (social graces and modesty).
What do you think? How can I make this clear to the girls, as some of them are not Christians?
