On the Flip Side

Hey! OK, I admit, this feels a little geeky. I mean, how many guys write a letter to the girl they’ll marry someday—even before they meet the girl? Probably not too many! But the world is a weird place, so even though we haven’t met yet, I thought you might need some encouragement.

As long as I’m writing from the heart, can I mention something that’s bugging me? It’s about clothes. Non-Christian guys love it when girls show off their bodies. You know what I mean: short shorts and skirts, bare stomachs, skimpy tops. Some fashions might not show skin, but they’re so tight they might as well be painted on. They reveal every curve and encourage superficial jerks to think lustful thoughts about the girls wearing them. I don’t write this to complain. I just want to encourage you to set a higher standard. It would kill me to finally find you—and then to see you wearing stuff designed to glue other guys’ eyes to your body. Sure, I know what some girls say: “To catch a guy these days, this is the kind of bait we need.” Garbage. Tell your friends that any guy who can be caught by flashing skin isn’t worth having. That’s not the kind of guy who’s going to stick by you and be faithful after you’ve gotten married, had a baby and gained a few pounds. That kind of guy will always be lured to other shapely bodies.

On the Flip Side (written by a 16 year-old boy to Brio Magazine)

To answer the first question you may be wondering about me, the answer is yes. I’m definitely keeping myself sexually pure. I do this partly for God and partly for you. I figure if I’m going to ask you to marry me someday, you must be pretty special—so special that you’re worth waiting for. Yeah, I know, plenty of guys have given in to temptation and found a girl who’s willing to have sex with them. And I have to admit . . . I’ve felt that temptation, too. But I’m not giving in! Like I said, you’re worth waiting for. Besides, I wouldn’t want a memory from some brainless sexual encounter with another girl making me feel guilty on our wedding night.

How about you? Are you still saving yourself for me? I notice some of the girls in my youth group wear purity rings, and that’s cool. I’m proud of them even though none of them is quite right for me. But whether you wear the ring or not, I hope you’re staying pure for God and me. I mean, who would want an apple after several other people have taken bites out of it? In the same way, my ideal dream girl isn’t one who some other guy (or worse—guys) has already taken to bed. So I hope you’re waiting like I am. Hey, don’t think that you shouldn’t have fun and get to know other guys before me. Truth is, I want you to spend time talking to a variety of guys. (That’s how you’ll know I’m better than all those other dudes when we finally meet!) But I wanted to give you this heads-up: Lots of guys out there pretend to be guys like me. Don’t let them fool you. If they try to get intimate before marriage, they’ve just tipped their hand. Dump ’em!

You probably wonder what I look like, so you’ll know me when we finally meet. Sometimes I wonder what you look like, too. Almost every time I meet a new Christian girl, I wonder if she’s you. I might not recognize you at first sight, but be patient with me. I’ll want to get to know you, to make sure you’re sincere and not just putting on an act. But when I see that you truly love God, when I see what a beautiful soul you have, I’ll begin to suspect that you’re the one for me, even if you don’t consider yourself attractive. Well, this has been kinda strange writing to you like this. But with so many people our age messing up and doing dumb things they can never undo, I figured this letter was worth the extra effort. So stay cool; stay pure; stay close to God, and I promise that I’ll do the same. Deal?

Hey, pray for me, OK? I’ll pray for you, too. We don’t have to know each other’s names to do that. After all, God knows! See ya (someday)! Love in Christ, Me