Senses

HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL, SPEAK, NO EVIL.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.

Proverbs 4:23-26

As much as I’d like to remain a vegetarian, I find myself indulging in persuasive video imagery of various foods. Yes, I confess, I do occasionally fail at my pathetic attempts to remain a vegetarian and when I do, the account is pretty miserable. Wait just a moment… before I’m escorted to the gallows; have you ever tasted lamb shanks with a side of mint jelly? Right, moving on. Just imagine the rivers of unrestrained tears flowing as I finish a bowl full of chicken or at least something that is probably less than 10% of a chicken (We will come back to that I promise).

Being persuaded to do something that you wouldn’t ordinarily do can fill the heart with anxiety, frustration, fear and a plethora of other complex emotive reactions. Some of the commercials and various other advertisements nearly strong-arm some into purchasing. It’s amazing how much influence an ad or other forms of visual information can have over you when it simply caters to the 5 senses.

Consider what you heard before… taste the rich smooth flavorful chocolate; touch the smooth rose colored blouse; see the beautiful colored furniture; smell the gentle lilac aroma filled room; or hear the gentle soft soothing sound of the ocean as it’s aura gently caresses and stimulates the hub of your being while awakening a deep longing within you, carrying you from a place of desolation to an area of pure elation and harmony. Ok, I got carried away, but you get the point, and yes temptation is today’s word my friends.

Let’s jump right in! Remember the story of Adam and Eve; we heard it many times in various creatively expressed ways, and frankly some are duly questionable. Therefore, I call to order a quick review of Genesis 1:1-6. “He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

  “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

  When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.

Yes she did, she looked, listened, touched, smelled and tasted. By engaging in a conversation with the universal culprit her every sense was tantalized and infiltrated thus causing the fall. The five senses are, in a nutshell, the avenues to the soul, without them it would be considerably difficult to be affected.

He ‘the culprit’ has wonderful persuasive attributes consider Ezekiel 13-17

                                    13] You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. [14] You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. [15] You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. [16] Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. [17] Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. 

Wow what implications this has towards who we allow ourselves to be in company with. I’m most certain you know those few who seem to have the ability to drip gallons of honey from their lips; such soothing gently composed sentiments, flowing in such desirable musical cords that are simultaneously drafted with dreadful intent and contempt having the potency of the most deadly venomous snakes. Pray for ‘em church!

            So am I suggesting that we do away with our senses? God forbid! Not at all friends, they are a God given necessity essential for survival and an extreme blessing. What do you do in a society that works at a constant strenuous pace to gain your attention? You avert your eyes, ears, and steps, as the wise man says in proverbs, let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. This can only be achieved through relationship with Him. I say again with a mathematical precision... if and only if you have a relationship with God then will you find the ability to avert your eyes achievable. Here’s the proven Theorem:

                                     Relationship with God = R,  

                        Successful Avoidance =A,

                                     Successful achievement through the aid and mercy of God=B

AB if and only if RA=RB Conclusion we need God more than we think!

            I leave you with this friends…Philippians chapter 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” 1 Cor. 10:31 - Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Oh yeah about that less than 10% chicken, three 'significant' letters for ya, K…F…C! They can’t sue, they’re only letters!