One of the top pop songs of 2012 was Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe.”  Its catchy tune worked its way into millions of ears and stayed there; it was a classic “ear worm.”  Even those of us who don’t listen to pop music were vexed by how difficult it was to get this song out of our thoughts.

For those of you who somehow missed it, let me "replay" the two most memorable stanzas of the song.  This is a girl singing to a boy.

Hey, I just met you

And this is crazy

But here’s my number

So call me maybe

 

Before you came into my life

I missed you so bad

I missed you so bad

I missed you so…so bad

 

What is a young man to do who encounters flirtatious and forward behavior from a young woman like we see in this song?

How about:

Hey, you just met me

So leave me alone

Don’t stalk my Facebook

Or call my cell phone

 

Before you came into my life

I couldn’t miss you

I didn’t know you

I still don’t know…know you

 

Obviously, a Christian young man will not be as “cheeky” in his response, but it is essential that a Christian young man learns the art of graciously but firmly turning away from a young woman who hasn’t learned discretion.  Here are a few words from Proverbs for any young man reading this:

Watch over your heart with all diligence,

For from it flow the springs of life.

Let your eyes look directly ahead

And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.

Watch the path of your feet

And all your ways will be established.

Do not turn to the right nor to the left.

(Proverbs 4:23, 25-27a)

Now, young man, if you can’t seem to stop yourself from “turning to the right and to the left,” go and spend some honest and prayerful time meditating on the warnings of chapters 5-7 of Proverbs.

What about you young woman?  I am the father of four daughters and have certainly heard about the pressure you can feel when you discover that you are one of the most modest and discrete women in your peer group.  Here are a few select warnings from the book of Proverbs for you:

As a ring of gold in a swine's snout

So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion

(Proverbs 11:22)

Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,

But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised

(Proverbs 31:30)

I know that it can sometimes feel downright countercultural to pursue the biblical virtues of patience, discretion, faithfulness, wisdom, and purity, but I pray that increasing numbers of both young men and women will simply take God at his Word and trust that God’s intentions for them are entirely good.  May each of you reading this, whether you are a young man or woman, trust that your sovereign Lord will lead you either into a godly long-term marriage or into a celibate life focused on commitment to Christ and his kingdom. 

But in the meantime (and here’s the father in me speaking again) please don’t give out your phone number to strangers!