The Day I Found Myself on a Nude Beach

You read the title right.

Yes, I was a Christian at the time.

And the beach was marked: "Public." (I'd gone jogging on it many times.)

Which brings me to the story.

It was 1985. I was with my friend sitting on our towels. (Yes, we both had our swimming suits on.) We were listening to Christian music like we usually did.

Then it happened.

My friend turned to me and said, "Mike (I wasn't a Pastor yet), do you see that couple walking way over there?" I put my hands up to my eyes like a lookout. He went on, "I don't think they have any clothes on." Naaaah, I thought. But it was true.

They kept coming.

My friend spoke again, "I think they're walking towards us." Oh great, I thought. (I usually think like that when something crazy is about to happen.)

Sure enough, the couple was not only walking towards us (why couldn't they go talk to someone else?), but when they arrived they stood right there in front of us, birthday suits and all.

I have one question.

So where do you "look" in such a situation? Hmm? I mean, do you look up in the sky? "Lovely day we're having." Do you look to the left? Do you look to the right? (Now that would be rude.) Do you play like you've lost something in the sand: "Excuse me, I seem to have lost a quarter. I know it's somewhere around here. I had it a second ago"?

My friend and I probably did all those things.

And I don't remember the conversation. Not one word. I was rather "distracted."

(And then when they left, where do you look then?)

I know that those who don't know or love Jesus approach the subject of nudity and sex differently. (My friend and I were committed to what the Bible says about the subject that day on the beach. I am still to this day. He's already gone on to be with the Lord in heaven.) The one approach (Christ's, ours) to nudity and sex brings life (waiting until marriage); the other (the world's, lust) brings only death (sin is pleasurable for a season).

I remember in a Bible study setting years ago that the speaker said you should be able to witness to / share your faith with Raquel Welch (I'm dating myself).

Self control is a fruit of the Spirit after all. (This post is meant for men and women.)

"How can a young man (woman) keep his (her) way pure? By keeping it according to Your word." (Psalm 119:9)

"'I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman (man).'" (Job 31:1; NIV)

You might also be interested in:

• So Where Are Your Eyes? (plus podcast)
• Why Not Sex Outside of Marriage?