by Esther Peterson
In Genesis 13, we find the well-known account of Lot’s decision to move away from Abraham and eventually immerse his family in a godless society. Why was this decision made? It was made because he allowed his gaze to rest upon that which was pleasant to the eye.
Genesis 13:10 – “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.”
Lot saw beauty, ease, and a more comfortable life in that fateful valley. He believed it was a good move for his family. He had no visions of the death of his older daughters and their families in the fires of judgment, the loss of his wife, or the degradation of morals in his younger girls.
How careful we must be to not make decisions for our families based on our earthly visions! How many hurtful words have been spoken because someone believed it was their duty to defend their children or themselves? How many men have stopped serving God because their wives felt it would be better for their families? How many children have been placed in schools under unsaved leadership because their parents truly believed it would be more profitable for their futures? I could continue to describe similar scenarios.
The problem is not that we are uninterested in what is best for our families or for those around us. The problem is that we are looking through the blurred vision of our earthly eyes. Satan is a master at blinding the human eye. We only need to read three chapters into the Bible to find him encouraging Eve to make the most catastrophic decision in the history of mankind. He used the temptation that her eyes would be opened (Genesis 3:5).
When she saw that the fruit was good for food and pleasant to the eye (Genesis 3:6), the decision was made, and mankind was plunged into sin. Earthly vision is not 20/20. We cannot make decisions for our lives based on what looks good to us.
Let us acquire the correct prescription from the Word of God and face the decisions of this life with a clear, Spirit-filled vision.
We must discipline ourselves and our children to look at the “forbidden” of this world through the lenses of God’s Word.
The wrong will always seem beautiful. Whether the temptation be gossip, retaliation to being hurt, the lowering of standards, the desire for comfort, or the assuming of authority when it is not our roles, Satan will always convince us that we are right. We must look at each situation from God’s perspective.
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
In Matthew 4, we find a prime example of Satan’s inability to continue his temptation when God’s Word is brought into the situation. Jesus did not reason or logic; He just answered with Scripture, and the matter was settled. God’s Word will peel back the facade and show the reality of the decisions we are tempted to make.
We must physically and mentally turn away from that which is wrong.
Isaiah 33:15-16 —“He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.”
As a small girl, I was taught to turn my head away when we passed the liquor aisle in the grocery store. Why? Liquor is evil. Many can scoff at strict standards, but if every child were raised to not even look at alcohol there would be no drinking
in this world. Adding a decade or two to our age does not exempt us from being drawn to the wrong. If the Bible says certain behavior is wrong, let us turn our physical and mental eyes away from that which could eventually do us much harm.
Proverbs 4:19-25 —“The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.”
My husband has extremely bad eyesight. It is so bad to the extent that if he is not wearing contacts or glasses, he cannot see anything more than just a few feet ahead of him. The first thing that he must do each morning is to put on his glasses or the rest of the day he will do nothing but stumble. Our earthly vision is not 20/20. Why do we walk blind through this life making decisions that are causing hurt to ourselves and our loved ones when we have the solution of the Scripture at our fingertips?