Guarding Roaming Eyes

One of the common understandings is that men tend to be more visually oriented. This in and of itself is not terribly enlightening, for we encounter instances to support this premise on a daily basis. What becomes a curious observation is the fact that Job was one of the earliest writers to give instruction to men to put a leash on one's eyes. Job writes, ''I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?'" (Job 31:1, N.A.S.B.)

There are a couple of words which make this of particular interest to us. First is the word for "make" which is the Hebrew word karah. Karah literally means "to make a cut" (Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, p. 1908.) This refers to what occurred when a covenant was made as we see in Genesis. God made a covenant with Abram and used the sacrifice of a heifer that was split down the middle. This established a covenant with Abram and God, but also with the nation of Israel. (See Genesis 15:10-18).

The other word to consider is the Hebrew word beryth. Beryth literally means "a compact made by passing between two pieces of flesh....An alliance, agreement, ordinance, or agreement between two persons." The term also applies to God and covenants established with man. (Ibid., p. 1283.)

Job was making a statement that in the midst of the suffering he was enduring, he had made an agreement not to view any young woman with lust. Job is saying that in the midst of the life wrenching pain he felt - loss of all his children, loss of almost all his servants, his financial fortune dissolved, and to add further insult his wife advices him to '"Curse God and die!"' (2:9) to put an end to his troubled life. If that wasn't enough, Job had to endure his "friends". Obviously they knew little about comfort, they knew everything about deluging Job with condemnation. Some friends!

Yet, we see that Job is pushed to the wall. When a person is at the brink of despair, they will reveal who they really are in character. Not only do we see Job careful in how he looks at a young woman, but he carried this detail out in the rest of his life - Job was a man of incredible integrity. I believe the comprehensive integrity Job lived permeated every area of his life. He was so confident of his character being spotless in regards to his dealings with women that if it were not so he was willing for his own wife to become a slave to others as punishment for his sin (Job 31:9 -10).

So what is the point? Simply this. Although we men are by design visual creatures, and are more drawn to visual images, if you really care about your wife, you will not look at any other woman in a way that would cause you to lust. This is a new way of thinking for some men, particularly husbands who are rather clueless. But when was the last time you changed the channel when a scantily clad female came across the TV screen? When you are driving doe=wn the street and notice an attractive woman, do you go around the block for another view? Who in your life is effected by your behavior?

Men, do not take my word for it. If you have the guts, check this out yourself. Ask your wife what that does to her when you "check out a female". If she is honest you will probably find out that such activity will hurt her deeply and totally disrespects as the primary person to be the object of your affection.

Final thought: What we allow in this generation will become accepted behavior in the next. If that is the case, what type of influence do you have on those who look up to you in how you view women?