Looking Away

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

LOOKING AWAY

Matt 5:27-30

27 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'   28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

NIV

Alas, is there is difference between the act itself and the desire to commit the act? It seems right to consider whether the opportunity is presented to commit the act or if there is no such opportunity. It is known the Pharisees made every effort to appear as pious as possible on the outside, but what we do not know is the condition of their heart. However, Jesus did know because he made reference to them being whitewashed tombstones, clean in the outside, but dead on the inside.  This was pointed to their spirit or their relationship with God, appearing to be religious, appearing to be a “Good Jew”, however, their spirits were dead, in need of being born from above. However, later in this gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells the Pharisees that they clean the outside of the cup and dish, but on the inside, they are full of greed and self-indulgence. This is the truth of his words about adultery. Most of us, that is both men and woman would not ever consider committing the act outwardly. Again, most of us would consider such an act indefensible. However, Jesus is making the point about our hearts. What is in our heart is at the center of the issue. Can we say we have never looked at a member of the opposite sex without some inner thoughts of lust? Perhaps not thoughts of committing adultery, but simply a desirable looking. We have heard woman swoon over the handsomeness of some male celebrities, or men making comments about how beautiful a female actress is. They are all presented as this wonderful, beautiful people that we should desire to be like them, or yes, even wonder what it would be like to be with them. But this goes past that. This looking lustfully happens in our everyday life, as we encounter attractive individuals everywhere. It is what is in our heart that matters the most. When Jesus speaks about the eye and the hand, he is saying both are members of our bodies that serve us well in the process of lustfulness. What we can see and touch both are a part of this committing this act of adultery in our hearts. However, we have to be careful not to be too harsh with ourselves, as just as James made the process of sin being started with a look, with a temptation, that is not the sin, outward or inward. We are bound to face temptations in life, and that includes the glance at someone who attracts our eyes. Then we look, and then we say to ourselves, look away. The problem is that if we look and then continue to look with the wanting to look more and even get a closer look, not caring about the condition of our heart, but only wanting to satisfy our eyes. Temptations will always present themselves to us, but we must see them for what that are and keep our eyes and hands to ourselves,  thus looking away and facing toward God.