His Eye Is On You!

Today I had to take my wife to the shopping mall as she needed several things at different stores. I chose to remain in the car since shopping is not one of my favorite events. Sitting there in my van, I began to watch the people as they walked by and in and out of the stores.

My first observation was difficult, if not impossible to miss. There was a woman in her mid to late 40's ,dressed as a teenager, her black hair dyed blond with two inches of black roots showing. She was dressed in a pair of unbelievably tight shorts that were split up both sides all the way to the belt. Thus, everyone was able to see that she wasn't wearing any underwear either. She had a ring on every finger and on both thumbs, blood-red lipstick, fingernail and toenail polish (which rather highlighted the multitude of varicose veins in her legs,) and around her neck she had eight to ten gold chains. They hung down on a fire-engine red, two sizes too small halter top. The only redeeming quality of the chains was that they covered up the low V-neck on the halter top, (in essence making it a set of tassels rather than a halter top.) Her make-up seriously looked as if it had been spread on with a trowel.

Even before I had the opportunity to reflect on that scene, a young man about 15 or 16 years old walked by who was absolutely impossible to overlook. He had a set of the biggest, heaviest earrings I have ever seen and a huge, apparently chrome-plated safety pin pierced through his nose. He had what appeared to be a silver 20 penny spike, although much shorter, impaled through his cheek with what appeared to be a diamond or some other stone at the end of it. He also presented a different, grotesque ring on each finger. His Levi's appeared as though they had been cut by a razor with slits at an angle, 6-8 inches long, from the belt loops all the way down to the cuffs. His shirt was short sleeved and also totally cut up. (I understand they actually buy them this way with all the tattered material barely hanging on.) What appeared to be a collar, normally worn by a bulldog or Doberman was around his neck and he had smaller dog chains around each wrist.

I watched as he stopped to talk to a group of three girls who were standing outside of a shop. The first girl wore a pair of yellow tennis shoes at least 2 or 3 sizes too big, very tight short shorts and a huge, oversized, floppy necked, gym-type shirt. It was impossible not to notice because of the way this oversized shirt hung, that she had no bra on and was not the least bit concerned as she leaned against the wall, puffing on her cigar.

The two girls with her wore death black lipstick, black fingernail polish and had clothing almost, but not quite, as hideous as the first one.

I further noticed a group of three girls in their mid to late 30's walking together. Each appearing to have entered a contest called, "Let's see who can get the tightest pair of jeans on!" It was truly the "must have been sprayed on look." There were a multitude of other people, both together and in small groups, dressing and acting in the same ludicrous way.

My question was, "Why, Lord, why?" The Lord's answer was, "My son, they are screaming for attention." They could just as easily have worn a sign saying, 'Please notice me, please pay some attention to me.' I began to realize the depth of the loneliness, despair and hopelessness which all of these individuals had in such great abundance.

I'm sure each one would have had a different and fascinating testimony. The young man literally was wearing his heart on his sleeve, so badly desiring to be noticed, to have someone care. I wonder what, if any, love, encouragement, and reassurance he received at home. I could not help but wonder if his father had ever held him and told him he loved him, was proud of him, and how wonderful it was to have him as a son. I wonder because I have three of my own who God has extremely blessed me with and I make it a point every day to tell them how much I love them, how I thank God for them, and how proud I am of them.

The young girls are another story altogether for it was easy to see they had absolutely no idea of their self-worth, or if they did, it was extremely low. I have no doubt that one of those young girls was constantly being told she was not good enough, didn't measure up, or, if only she could be more like her sister. It was easy to see that it had been a long time, if ever, since they had been told how precious they were, how loved they were, how proud their parents were of them.

How long had it been since their families had gone out together for a day, or a weekend, or for a week? My wife an I make it a point to never go over two days without going out alone with our three boys to dinner, or maybe to shop for something they want, maybe just to look at cars. It is important to us to be able to tell and show them how much we love them, how important they are to us, how we thank God for them.

My immediate desire was to get a box or pull over a bench - something, anything - to stand on that I might rise above the crowd and yell to each and every one of these young and much older people, "Please, come hear a true story of One who loves you, who wants you, who has noticed you, who has been with you every minute, who has collected every tear you've ever cried and saved them in a bottle; One who loved you so much that given the chance, He voluntarily gave up His life to an unspeakable, horrible death that you might have life, and that more abundantly. He loves you with a love you can only barely begin to comprehend, who has willed to love you. irrespective of anything you have ever done, He loves you anyway, and all He desires is to love you, bless you, and protect you, to fill you with the desire of your heart - real peace, love and fulfillment."

"You don't need to stick spikes through your nose to get His attention. You don't need to give the sanctity and sacredness of your body away to gain His love, for His love is free unto anyone who will call upon His name. You cannot impress Him with skin-tight clothes or jewelry on every finger, but you can impress Him, you can receive all that He has for you, simply by saying, 'Jesus, I am a sinner, forgive me and come into my life. Allow me to share in Your love, in your joy, in your peace.' And He who cannot and will not ever lie shall surely come to you immediately and manifest Himself, for such is the love of God."

"For the Word of the Lord says, 'He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever would believe on Him would have eternal life.' He said, 'No one takes My life, I lay it down willingly that you might have life and that more abundantly,' that you may never have another need in any area, for He said, 'I am the Lord thy God who supplieth all thy needs' - freely. Let he who is hungry and thirsty come and freely receive the bread and water of life. And He said, 'I shall send forth unto you Another - the Comforter - and we shall be with you and in you, even unto the end of the age.' Such is the unconditional love of our God."

Allow me to leave you with this one scripture which plainly explains who the people are that Jesus came to call and to give the Kingdom of God unto: "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him" 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NIV).

And this one last thing: He is coming again very, very soon to collect all of those who have accepted this free gift that they may be with Him in Paradise - for He says,

"Behold, I come quickly..."

I am, and hope to remain, your brother in Christ.

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