She was with me at Wal-Mart last week, on an unseasonably warm day…the kind of day that seems to beckon that pent-up winter immodesty

We passed a young girl in the produce department that was immodestly dressed. Not immodest by my standards, necessarily, but tight, thin, clinging short-shorts, a tight, low-cut spaghetti-strapped tank top which did not cover her bra straps–hopefully immodest by most Christian standards.

I saw Avi closely observing her. I knew what she was thinking, and I was pretty sure Avi would not keep silent, but I kept shopping and pretended not to notice.

Sure enough, as soon as we passed in front of the girl, Avalee, very innocently and matter-of-factly said, “Look at that girl…she’s immodest.”

My first thought was to snap at Avi’s social blunder. To scold her for being “rude”, and to instruct her not to say such things.

Now, I’m pressured to coax my daughter into being “tolerant” and “loving” and seemingly oblivious to what was once considered criminal activity.

Am I being too black and white here? Do I want to teach my children that it is never OK to call sin “sin”? Is it never OK to even verbalize it? I’m asking…not sure—I do not have the gift of mercy, so maybe there is something I’m not seeing.

It helps me to think in extremes when I’m trying to decide on a moral issue like this.

For example, if I passed by a man who was slapping his wife around, would I just smile, and tolerantly pass by?

Or if I saw someone stealing, would I be polite and loving, pretending not to notice?

In all cases, the real one and the two examples, someone is being offended. Actually, in the cases of the immodestly dressed girl, many more were being offended by her carelessness than in the examples.

Hmmmm….