Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love
of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:15
In the Followers, we defined anyone who
was not one of us as a “worldly person.” That included all other religions and
denominations. They were worldly churches
and worldly preachers.
But the term worldly person is used outside of the FOC. In most secular
contexts, it is actually a compliment. It is someone who is wise in the ways of
the world. An educated, well-travelled person.
Here is how dictionary.com defines
worldly:
world·ly
[wurld-lee] Show
IPA adjective,world·li·er, world·li·est, adverb
adjective1.of or pertaining to this world as contrasted with heaven,spiritual life, etc.; earthy;
mundane.
2.experienced; knowing; sophisticated: the benefits of hisworldly wisdom.
3.devoted to, directed toward, or connected with the affairs,interests, or pleasures of this
world.
4.of or pertaining to the people or laity; secular; neither ecclesiastical nor religious
5.Obsolete . of, pertaining to, or existing on earth.
Churches outside of
the FOC also use the term worldly person
to refer to someone who dresses in fashionable clothes, has stylish hair, wears
a lot of make-up, listens to popular, secular music, and is overly involved in
the relevant popular culture.
I have recently heard
some reports (yes, gossip) about how Shannon Hickman is getting along in
prison. Because her case was high profile and covered in the news media and
newspapers, the women prisoners had preconceived notions of how she would be
when she arrived among their ranks. The thing that surprised the other
prisoners the most was how “worldly” she was. What do you mean by worldly I asked.
“Well, she is into
popular music, movies, and TV shows.” So, apparently the other prisoners were
expecting someone who did not watch television or listen to music. Maybe they
had in mind an Amish woman.
Despite their
criticism of her, Shannon has made a lot of friends in prison, but she was a
bit unsure at first. Her counselor, realizing that she wasn’t a hardened
criminal had advised her to watch out for the other inmates saying, “If a woman
comes to you and says she has your back, it means she wants to sleep with you.”
Well, imagine her response when a friendly inmate said just that to her, with
no intention of sleeping with her.
The inmates at Coffee
Creek are required to work full-time jobs for very little pay. They usually
receive $100-$200 per month for the full time work. Out of that money, they are
required to purchase their own uniforms, shoes, make-up, haircuts, and personal
items. Shannon’s chosen job is in the prison chapel. She is a clerk for the
religious library.
So what makes someone
a “worldly person” to you? Is it someone who gets medical care? Goes to a “worldly
church/chapel services”? Is it a positive thing – an educated, world traveler
and life-long learner? Is it someone who cares too much about worldly
possessions? Or something else?
