Our vision is one of our most prized possessions. Most of us take for granted that we will be able to look out at night and see a beautiful moon or rise early to see the sun coming up. These are beautiful pictures that calm our soul, but what about all the in-between things our eyes focus on? Today we will look at what the Bible has to say about what we view.
Psalm 101:3 “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes; I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.”
In Psalm 103 David addresses how he will behave. Verse 2 states “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.” He then proceeds to declare how he will do this. He will not look at anything wicked.
The first thing we do when we wake up is to open our eyes. Whatever the eye sees determines the action of the rest of the body. It determines what we think, and how we will act. For instance, if I were to wake and see a snake, I can assure you it would quicken my thoughts and my reaction. It would control my thinking and how I acted. Therefore, it is vital that we chose wisely what is set before our eyes.
If we obey this verse it will limit the things we read, watch, and even where we will go. This verse forbids us to look at anything that will hinder our walk with God. We are not to feed our souls on anything that is ungodly or immoral. If an image causes us to think about things that are not good or profitable for our Christian walk, then we need to avoid them
In Job 31:1, Job states that he has made a covenant with his eyes. A covenant is an agreement, a commitment, a pledge, a promise, it is a contract that is binding. Job understood that what we see is serious business. So much so that he was willing to write it down as a binding contract. He understood that what we see affects our thinking and our emotions. In verse 7 he writes, “if my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes.” He was very much aware of the path of failure.
The last part of verse 1 is in response to his covenant with his eyes. So, if I have made a covenant with my eyes “why then should I think upon a maid?” Job was a just man. He took his marriage vows seriously. In a time when it was common for even “godly” men to have multiple wives and concubines Job stayed true to his marriage. He was faithful to the one wife God had given him. From the beginning, God only allowed for one wife and Job obeyed. Job put a safeguard in his life. He didn’t allow himself to look at something that would tempt him to do wrong. Job understood the principle of vision. He understood that he should not allow the flesh to rule. Therefore, he would make no provision for it.
We are no different. If we want to stay away from allowing sin to enter through the eye gate, we must put safeguards in our lives. It is a fool who thinks he can play with fire and not get burned. Job makes it clear in verse 7, that his heart, or our heart, walks after our eyes. Our brains are like computers once something enters, it is there! You may try to dismiss it, and be successful for a while, but it’s still in there, and at some point, Satan will bring it back to your memory and use it for ammunition!
Why not be like Job and refrain from loading the brain with bullets Satan can fire at you when you are weak? What are some areas that you need to change? What about the books you read? Are you feeding the brain with images of sensuality or purity? Are your TV shows filled with people sleeping with someone other than their husband or wife?
Everything we see influences us, good or bad. It is our responsibility to monitor the things we see that can turn our hearts away from God. I know it is impossible to control all that is around us when we are in public, but when confronted with ungodly images we don’t have to gaze upon them. Turn away from those and avoid the things you can control.
Job 31:1 “I made a covenant with mine eyes;”
Psalm 101:3 “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:”
