Base
I felt sorry for grandpa. The day was sunny at the beach. Little fingers tugged as one grandpa passing by held fast. I did not know the gentlemen who was guiding and directing the tiny tot along the sandlot, but it was obvious the two were not in sync. The younger of the two was trying to make his way back to a place of safety where the rest of their crew awaited, while grandpa seemed to not know exactly where the view in front of him would take him. The two had spent time near the water’s edge, and the sand castle left behind was being backwashed once again into the lake. The little man was well below eye level of what poor grandpa was trying desperately to take in. Glancing away did no good as soon, eyes would pop up to behold that which was on display.
“I will not set before my eyes what is base” is what Psalm 101:3 begs. It’s a personal commitment to moral purity. It’s a warning to set the eyes on holy rather than that which the world feeds. It’s a feeding frenzy out there these days and my heart felt sorry for grandpa who just couldn’t help himself. Oh, it wasn’t his fault that the parade on display took place. No doubt he thought it was an innocent area to bring the kiddos. But this particular day, with brand new attire not seen before in these here parts, the young lady advanced—unabashed with what she chose to wear upon the beach. And that’s when I realized that poor grandma, too, was in a predicament.
Beside the young lady was her grandma who had accepted the invitation to the beach that day. Unequipped was she to handle that which her grand was sporting. Fully clad was grandma as she trapsed behind acting as if it were a normal walk along the beach in such attire. It must have taken an immense amount of energy to pretend all was well as even the boyfriend beside the young lady acted as if there was nothing new happening. Apparently, he was familiar with it all—enough to not be gawking as others were at his girlfriend.
Even though I wanted to draw the curtain on the whole shebang, I could do nothing. My own grands were at the beach that particular day, and thank goodness they kept their eyes on their own sandcastle being built—never once looking up. For this, I was relieved.
Should have, could have, would have comes to my mind every so oft as to what I could have done to signal grandpa to look the other way. It wasn’t his fault that before him pranced temptation, but who was prepared for such a time as this? Behind the pine curtain things uninvited came marching right on in and no one could stop it.
That incident took place five years ago but now, it appears, this style is the new norm—and leave it to a man to have been the inventor of. Women pay the price. We not only are consumers, but now have to satisfy those looking on who get the show for free. A great deal, I suppose. A brilliant marketing scheme from every angle. And there are just some things I don’t want to know about in life but for the life of me, I beg the mamas to direct the hearts of their young people as far as what to purchase, where to direct the eyes when they happen upon it, and what not to mimic and give away for free. Why? Because there is no such thing as free—there is a price to be paid for it all. The price of sin, the price of temptation, the price of divided hearts—it’s all intertwined and lest we pretend we are not guilty, we are. I am guilty of not speaking up, not encouraging others to turn away from temptation, and thus we pray.
Dear Lord, we pray to be pure of heart. Amen.