I want to make a bold statement: Men shouldn't purposely go anywhere where the opportunity to be tempted is heightened. For example...I don't go anywhere that would be dishonoring to my wife...including questionable restaurants like HOOTERS! Now that I have your attention....
Get real...guys don't go to Hooters for the food. "I may have been born at night but it wasn't last night." GUYS - we should STEER CLEAR and STAY AWAY from places like that! If you're a regular customer at a place like Hooters...then I know why you go...and it's not for the food but rather to feed your lustful desires.
I don't want to do go anywhere that would be dishonoring to my wife! Guys...our wives want to know that they are beautiful to us. That's why they take special effort in taking care of themselves. They want us to tell them that they're beautiful! It's offensive and hurtful to our wives if we look at another woman or feel the need to go somewhere that puts women on parade to fuel our weak male ego.
We are living in a world that is saturated with sexual temptation! Commercials are full of women, scantly clad, trying to sell everything from toothpaste to insurance.
Job said "I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?" (Job 31:1) If Job made a covenant with his eyes...we need to do the same!
Guys, we need an accountability partner. Someone who will ask you the hard questions. Someone who will call you out when they observe you doing something that is questionable.
Here's what you should do. Teach yourself the phrase "that's not my wife!" and say it to yourself whenever you are faced with temptation or some scantly clothed woman walks in front of you. I guarantee you...you'll conquer that temptation and gain strength to remain an overcomer!
Job knew the value of keeping his eyes pure. Keeping our eyes pure matters to our wives. If you're a single man...it matters to your future wife too! Dads...it matters to your sons and daughters! Guys, you're modeling for your sons how to treat women...and for your daughters how they should allow men to treat them. If you whistle at women and make lewd comments about them then you're teaching your children that women are to be treated as lustful objects. If they see you do it...they may end up doing it too. (You discipled them.)
Ok ladies...you're not off the hook. The way you dress can greatly affect how a man thinks about you or what he thinks about you. You may be a woman who loves Jesus...but also feel the need to reveal your cleavage to the world. Ladies, if that offends you - then CHECK YOURSELF! Don't put so much of yourself on display! Don't dress like you're for sale. My advice - ask a man who is in love with Jesus...give him permission to be honest...and he'll let you know. What might be "cute" to a group of women can be "seductive" to a group of men.
Men...you have a responsibility to CONTROL yourselves!
Women...you have a responsibility to help men do just that!
God is honored when we work together to keep one another free from the opportunity to be tempted. Again...guys, don't go anywhere or do anything that would dishonor your wife.
Keeping it real...Pastor Hylton
