There’s a Sunday School chorus that goes like this:

Oh, be careful little eyes what you see!
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see!
There’s a Saviour up above watching over you in love
So be careful little eyes what you see.

What we see with our eyes has a powerful impact on what we think. If we drive by a head-on collision, the gruesome images linger with us, even when our eyes are shut. We say: “I can’t get that accident out of my mind!”

That’s why researchers have repeatedly concluded that television and other media like the internet have a powerful impact on our thought life. Pediatricians in Canada released a scientific paper in 2003, entitled the Impact of Media Use on Children and Youth. The paper stated that by Gr. 12 graduation, the average teen with a television in the home will accumulate more hours in front of the TV than total time spent in classrooms over the twelve years. It states: “Not all television programs are bad, but data showing the negative effects of exposure to violence, inappropriate sexuality and offensive language are convincing.” Here’s another quote: “Evidence suggests that television’s influence on children and adolescents is related to how much time they spend watching television. As a result, with prolonged viewing, the world shown on television becomes the real world…..The average child sees 12,000 violent acts on television annually, including many depictions of murder and rape.” It cites that over 1000 studies have closely linked TV viewing of violent actions with aggressive and violent behaviour.

“Between 1976 and 1996, there has been a 270% increase in sexual interactions during the family hour of 8PM and 9PM. Television exposes children to adult sexual behaviours in ways that portray these actions as normal and risk-free, sending the message that because these behaviours are frequent, ‘everybody does it’. Sex between unmarried partners is shown 24 times more often than sex between spouses, while sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies are rarely mentioned.” (1) The report also discussed the impact of the Internet, video games and music videos. For example, it found that 75% of music videos contain sexually explicit material. Remember this was based on statistics prior to 2003. Things probably haven’t improved much since then!!

King David was very concerned as he commenced his reign that his home life and the standards of his kingdom would be God honouring. His manifesto outlining his righteous goals can be found in Psalm 101.

Before the days of internet and television David was still conscious of the impact of what he allowed his eyes to see.

Long before the days of psychologists, Job understood the link between what he looked at and what he desired. He knew that what he allowed himself to see with his eyes would tempt him in his heart. He said: “I made a covenant, (a treaty, a contract)with mine eyes; Why then should I think upon a maid?” Job 31:1.

Some say: “There’s no harm in looking.” Absolutely false. There’s all kinds of harm in looking. Jesus confirmed that when He said words something like this: “Don’t think for a minute that you’re okay just because you have never committed the act of adultery. If you have looked on a woman and have had the thought – you are guilty of committing adultery in your heart!” Matthew 5:28.

Do you have anything to confess to the Lord about what you have been looking at? Don’t delay- confess it right now. Have you been on your knees in prayer and made a three party covenant between your God, your eyes and yourself? It’s reckless to try surviving today without such a contract in place.

(1) http://www.cps.ca/english/statements/PP/pp03-01.htm