Donn and I went to a Pittsburgh Pirate’s ballgame Saturday before last., August 2016. We arrived early and discovered the Saturday Night Block Party on Federal Street. It included live music which I love, so we stood near the bandstand enjoying the music, wondering why we hadn’t done this before.

In front of the bandstand, there was an large open area for dancing, although few were using it. Then I noticed an older woman in gray shorts and a T-shirt dancing, getting closer and closer to a man who, as far as I could tell, she didn’t know. Soon she began pressing parts of her body purposefully against him. He responded by smiling and pointing to the area of contact as she began to rub her body against his. Their gyrations became more and more lewd and obscene as another man joined them. Wide-eyed children stood on the sidelines and other people snickered and laughed.

I looked around for someone who would put a stop to this, but there was no one. A still small voice reminded me that I was someone. Gathering my courage, I walked across the open area. I addressed the man first, reminding him that there were children present. He nodded and walked to the sidelines. When I spoke to the woman, she wouldn’t meet my eyes or acknowledge my presence, but she too moved to the sidelines─for a few minutes─until I walked back to where I’d been standing.

When the woman initiated and the behavior began again, we went looking for someone in authority, and I prayed silently, taking authority over lust. We walked quite a distance before we found an employee of the Pirate organization. He pointed out a police officer nearby. When I told the officer what was happening, he asked for a description of the people’s clothing and headed for the bandstand. We followed. By the time we got back, the woman had disappeared. After a few minutes, I told the officer she was gone and thanked him for checking.

On the way home, I couldn’t get the disgusting images out of my mind—images that children had also seen—and my anger grew. Donn and I discussed what had happened and I told him about God reminding me that I was someone. Then in the background on K-LOVE I heard Matt West singing:

If not us, then who,   If not me and you

Right now, it’s time for us to do something

If not now, then when Will we see an end To all this pain

It’s not enough to do nothing; It’s time for us to do something

On Monday  I called the Pittsburgh Pirate Organization  to complain that no one in authority was at the Block Party to stop the lewd behavior.  Chris, who is in charge of the Block Parties, said she would discuss it with her staff and make arrangements for one of them to be near the bandstand in the future. But then she said although she agreed with me that this kind of behavior shouldn’t happen, it would be hard to judge someone for doing something like this because they weren’t naked! I reminded her that it is possible to be lewd and obscene without being naked, and said, “If there is no law in the city of Pittsburgh to stop that kind of behavior, there should be.” Then I asked her, “If people who believe in decency, as you say you do, will not take a stand with those who don’t, what will be the result?”

All this reminded me of a man named Phineas in Numbers 25. He knew he was “someone” and did something about behavior that dishonored God. An unnamed Israelite was flaunting his behavior in a public arena just as the woman and men were flaunting theirs on Saturday night. Phineas, the grandson of Aaron the priest, didn’t stand around wondering why someone didn’t do something. He put a stop to it. I’m not suggesting we employ the method he used but that we follow his example of doing something. Listen to what God said to Moses about Phineas:

“Phineas…has turned my anger away from the Israelites. Since he was as zealous for my honor among them as I am…”

Wow! God said Phineas was as zealous for God’s honor as God was! Would He say that about you and me? Are we zealous for God’s honor? How do we respond when people around us do or say things that dishonor Him? Do we laugh at behavior or jokes that dishonor Him or condone it by our silence? I wonder how many Christians were at that Block Party, snickering and laughing at the lascivious behavior or condoning it by their silence. God is looking for those who are willing to be like Phineas who was as zealous for God’s honor as He is. He is looking for Christians who will “Do Something” about the things that dishonor God in our culture. Will you be one of them?

Father, forgive us for the times we have not been zealous for your honor because we are more  concerned about offending others. Forgive us for not doing something. Amen.

 

If not us, then who

If not me and you

Right now, it’s time for us to do something

If not now, then when

Will we see an end

To all this pain

It’s not enough to do nothing

It’s time for us to do something

Flashback Friday: On Tuesday, November 3, 2020, you will have an opportunity to DO SOMETHING by voting your values. What will you do?