Pants on the Ground

When Joan and I walk around the neighborhood wether around the block or downtown I can probably count on hands and feet how many young men we see with their pants below their backside. I do not pretend to understand this style of dress if that’s in fact what it is and I will be the first one to admit I DO NOT like it. My son happens to be one of the only caucasian teenagers in the neighborhood , if there are others I have never seen them or they don’t come out at night. He to feels it necessary to wear his pants below his butt. Shocking as it may seem , I don’t say a word about it  and hears why. First , I myself remember what its like to be a teenager and the more my parents complained or told me not to do something the more I did it. Don’t get me wrong if he goes anywhere with me the pants go up.  I think it’s also a matter of perspective , I pick and choose my battles.  Now I know many of you will disagree with me but hear me out.  Recently my son walked into a room and bent over for a second and his pants were sagging.  Someone tried to call his attention to it by making certain comments to make him aware of there dissproval. What he heard was “blah,blah,blah judgement. ” He completely tuned them out and ignored every word they said.  Now that particular night within a four-hour period my son answered a call for help from a friend that needed him at a very crucial time.  Not an hour or so later my neighbor had called him to help him carry his roommate up the stairs who had just fallen from the top of a staircase and stayed with them until the ambulance arrived.  I could tell you countless stories of his compassion and selflessness that’s not to say he’s perfect because he’s not .  He is an 18-year-old teenager with saggy pants.  My point is that I choose to look at the bigger picture.  I care about whats in his heart and what kind of human being he is and how he treat others.  I used to feel differently.  I too was quick to judge and pull the parent card and push what I say goes but it’s only a temporary fix and it doesn’t solve the root of the problem.  I know probably most won’t agree but this is what works with my child.  He wears earrings , listens to music I can’t understand ,  and wears his pants on the ground. But his heart is bigger than most Christians I know who wear  their pants above their waist that do more talkin than walkin. God loves us unconditionally and will take us as we are , so what makes us  think we have the right to set the standards for someone else based on our opinion or personal taste ?  Is it arrogance or ignorance ? I tend to believe its a little bit of both. I’m as guilty as the next guy but what I do know is that I’m teachable.  Shouldn’t we all be ? Because if anyone of these baggy pants teenagers wanted to give their life to the Lord and spend their life serving Him I don’t think His response would be  ”Ok but pull your pants up first!”