Purify Your Mind Series (Part 2) by Joe KirbySample

The Second Look Is Fatal

The battle for purity starts on the streets. You can put every accountability system in place to ensure you keep yourself pure in the home, but unless you win the battle on the streets you’re already dead in the water.

Sadly, in our society, modesty is a long-lost concept and it seems every year outfits for both males and females get more and more provocative. So if we let our eyes wander when we go to the shopping mall, the gym, or even the local park, we will plant seeds of lust that will grow and before we know it we’ve fallen back into sin again.

Let’s grab hold of this advice from the wise old king. When you’re walking along the street when you’re out and about seeing people around you, even when you’re driving your car and passing by whoever and whatever, keep your gaze forward. Look straight ahead. Remember, the second look is fatal. Imagine a Christian driving past a huge billboard with a sensual image. He can’t help that he’s seen it, but he has a choice: look straight ahead and keep his eyes pure, or take another look. I believe that when we look again, it becomes a sin. A glance is unavoidable, but a gaze is avoidable. Sounds stressful, right? Well, the Christian life is called a battle for a reason, and in this sex-crazed culture, we constantly have to keep looking straight ahead, fixing our eyes on Jesus. It’s easy to get distracted by the fleeting pleasures of this world, but we are called to walk by faith and not by sight.