The Pure Eye

I was listening to a podcast of a Christian radio show that I like and the guys on it were doing some street witnessing while using a cell phone, courtesy of a helper "in the field." One of the things these guys do is try to help people see the state of their hearts by using the Law, and then by using the Scripture they show people that they need to be reconciled to God, and how Jesus made that possible.

People will often answer that they do not lie, steal, or covet, etc., but the one that they invariably get nailed on is "Have you ever looked at a woman and lusted about her in your heart?" The answer is almost always a yes. In most cases, society's influences sure that the female form is something men are trained to look at (along with his natural inclination to do so) from an early age. American society is getting worse about it too. Emphasis is more and more heavily placed on the bod and not the brains, the bod, and not the heart.

The male and female forms are two of the most aesthetically eye-pleasing things that God ever came up with. To humans that is. (Mind you, God tells lukewarm believers that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.) Sure, great artists over time have 'immortalized' the human form in moving ways, but there's a complete difference between appreciating artistic endeavor and being ensnared by one's own lust. I've heard my pastor say more than once (speaking to the guys) that you can't always help the first look, as we often quickly notice moving objects. It's our responsibility to look away though. It's our responsibility not to take that second look. He also said (again to the guys) that that first look is not supposed to be a long lingering look either.

I heard a guy talking about it and he said that he can't go to his favorite beach anymore because there are just so many women wearing next to nothing, and he wants to be a godly guy. I applaud that. If you are trying to lose weight, perhaps the best place for you to be hanging out is not in front of the doughnut shop.

Someone might be saying about now, "You don't have to go to the beach anymore, women dress pretty skimpy even at the mall. Am I not supposed to go there either?" Well I can't say I haven't seen that happening also. There are just certain ways of dressing that ought to be reserved for the privacy of marriage. Lots who might read this will be thinking that I'm a dinosaur, or a complete geez, but I think the place for thongs, revealing bikinis, French-cut bathing suits, and yes, even those little spandex suits for men belong just about anywhere but in the public eye. Those days are gone though, and swimsuits and what is acceptable in public, even in schools is only going to get worse.

A believer who thinks he (or she) can gaze on the scantily clad just to appreciate the aesthetic value of the wearer's appearance is just being foolish. That is an old, old trap that as believers we just don't want to fall into. Joseph could have fallen into the trap, but instead he ran headlong away from it, which is just exactly what Scripture tells us to do. We can't win this battle. If the Lord is telling us to run, then we had better run. (If you want to see how much material there is regarding the problems of lust, adultery and sleeping around, read the book of Proverbs.

These days, it is all to easy, especially for men, to look lustfully without ever leaving their homes. Pornography on the internet is rampant, and I understand a mass, and massively growing market. Sadly, this is true among Christians too. If you are reading this and you are hemming and hawing about whether the imagery you're looking at is actually sin in your life, let me ask you some questions.

1) Do you find yourself frequently cleaning the 'history' off of your computer, so that nobody else in the household can know what you've looked at?

2) Do you find yourself picking certain times, so that you can hide what you look at from other eyes?

3) Would you allow those you fellowship with each week to look at see what you are looking at when you're alone?

4) Do you want Jesus to look through your eyes at what you are looking at?

Let me help you figure this out. If you answered "no" to any of these questions, then you probably have a problem in the area of lust. My suggestion is to get out---now. Get off of your computer and stay off of your computer. It's a stumbling block to you. You might be reading this and be totally aghast, saying to yourself, "I can't do that! I do work with my computer and communicate with my loved ones!" Your loved one is Jesus, and this grieves Him.

Then get yourself a filtering program for your system like Integrity Online, or something like that. Just flee from the lust that using your computer represents, and don't look back. If you're thinking that isn't an option for you, remember that the Bible tells us (1st Corinthians 10:13) that God, when the temptation arises, will make a way to escape, so that we will be able to bear it. Don't ignore the way out provided, or God.