Musings On A Friday Evening

While waiting for my daughter to join me at a favorite restaurant one Friday evening, I couldn't help noticing the group of young females milling around the area. They looked to be 18 to 20 years of age. Some were with dates, others were not, but all were dressed like women of the night, if you know what I mean. Honestly. Even from the most liberal viewpoint possible, a hooker wouldn't have looked any different. The tightest outfits you could possibly imagine. They might as well have been wearing body paint. I was embarrassed to look, but couldn't help myself.

I wondered who their parents were. Had they raised their daughters to dress that way? If not, why would they allow it? And why would these young women want to look like prostitutes? Did they expect to be treated with respect dressed like that? Did they care? And most puzzling of all, when did such immodest attire become acceptable for public consumption?

About that time, my daughter sent a text, saying she was at the curb, waiting for valet parking and I could come get Audrey (my little granddaughter) if I wanted to.

Well, of course, I did! And Miss Audrey looked like an angel in her little flowered dress and white sweater. Matching shoes and a tiny black headband sent me over the edge as I carried her to the bench where I'd been sitting.

After cuddling a while, playing goo-goo eyes and posing for this selfie, I found myself holding her tightly, wishing she never had to face the challenges that her life will hold. I wanted her to stay innocent, and free—from heartache and bullies, and, yes, from sin.

But that isn't how life works, of course. We all grow up and have choices to make. Not just about what we wear, but about how we live our lives. We can choose to live a life pleasing to God, or we can choose to throw caution to the wind and live however.

If you're like me, you're not perfect, and I haven't always lived a life pleasing to God. I've done wrong things and made stupid choices. But the beautiful part about freedom to make choices is that you can always choose to stop doing wrong. You can choose a new direction, take a different turn. If you dress like a hooker today, you don't have to dress like one tomorrow. It's totally up to you.

For now, Audrey's mother decides how she dresses, and tonight, she's dressed like an angel, and I love her more than words can tell. I'll leave tomorrow's worries in a pair of hands much bigger than mine.