Just Words

As I drove into work this morning I tuned my radio to WOAI 1200 . The morning show is hosted by the always unpredictable Charlie Parker. His topic in these early morning hours was whether participating in adult type chat rooms should be considered cheating on your spouse. Charlie's position was that this behavior should not be considered cheating. I do not know if Mr. Parker took this position because of his belief system or to make the phones ring, because they did. The few callers I heard before arriving to work and turning this unusual morning chatter off told Charlie that he was wrong...that this behavior is indeed cheating.
Chat rooms, social networks and other conduits of the 21st century do indeed allow people to behave in a way, cloaked in secrecy, unlike any other time in history. Even Facebook allows one person to send another a "hug" or a "adult beverage" and even a "kiss". We use to call this dating, now we call it cyber-chat.
As I listened this morning two questions came to mind, first, if it is not cheating then why is is typically done in private? Second, if it is not cheating, then what is it? A third question came to mind, I wondered how many times this morning host had been married, but I soon realized I was being unfairly judgmental.
The internet has allowed us to make cyber-contact with people from our past, some we haven't seen or heard from in more than twenty years. I did make contact with an old friend, I had not seen or heard from her since 1980 or 81. I found myself one day in a chat that lead to, what I considered then, innocent flirtations. Then one day I discovered that my wife, the woman I love, had participated in her own "innocent chat" with a co-worker. It hurt. I was angry, hurting, and let my imagination carry me further than her email had. Then the moment came when God pointed out to me that my own behavior would also cause hurt...to my wife. Charlie, it is cheating.
Innocent flirting, two people that by simply entering binary numbers into a computer that crunches them at incredible speeds and turns them into words that reflect inappropriate thoughts , recorded on a computer screen will lead something that is more than "Just Words".
Many have become addicted to the chat life style. And many of those will go deeper into the world wide web, to include the dark crevices where internet pornography rules as a golden idol. Like any other addiction, the addict will try to hide their behavior, especially from their spouse. Hidden from the person that you once thought you could share every thought with, and stay up all night just talking, planning futures, dreaming dreams, is now the person you avoid, afraid that your errant behavior will show on your face.
This addict must make the choice now to stop. If you think you can not stop, then turn to Jesus Christ and ask Him to help.
"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you." Isa 41:13
Take His hand. Today.