Lord, Keep My Mind Clean: Teen Edition

Football and a picture of a pretty girl

I am a dedicated Tennessee Titans fan. It’s 2020 and we were 5-0 when we unfortunately suffered a lost to the also undefeated (at the time) Pittsburgh Steelers. As our wins and losses from the time of that game went up and down, Pittsburgh continued undefeated.

So I’m checking espn.com on Monday, December 7, 2020 to get the highlights of the game. I am somewhat delighted to see that they were beaten by a scrappy Washington Football Club 23-17. As I watch the video clips of the field goal that put Washington ahead and the interception by their defense that sealed the victory I cannot help but be elated. (I’m sorry Pittsburgh fans. It’s petty of me but I didn’t want the team that gave my Titans their first loss to continue perfect)

I’m about to re-focus my attention back on a holiday movie to watch when all of a sudden I see a link at the end of the Washington-Pittsburgh game article showing a pretty popular television actress in a revealing top.

Why? Because media publishers know that lust is able to get our attention even more than seeing a team that you love win -- (or loathe) lose. Like a great catcher, big money media “frames” this type of content as “the celebration of beautiful women” but the truth is far from this. It’s the four letter “L” word —but not the good one. Lust.

If you are a pre-teen or teen, understand that this type of article as innocent as it may appear (there is no nudity in the link description) it most definitely is the gateway. Flesh screams “Let me just take a look to see what this little ‘ole link will show.”

As a pre-teen (particularly males) your body feels like it is transforming by the week. You experience tenderness in your chest area. Hair is growing in places all over your developing body. Voices start cracking. Ladies your bodies also become more developed. Your natural bodies have no choice but to grow and develop. Our minds.... well, sometimes a whole different story.

So I know you are wondering -- “What did I do?” Did I click on the link to get a “peek”? No. Eleven years ago—I would have clicked without thinking and gone even further. I went way further during that time because of being overcome with lust.

As I share some of my personal story in this devotional, I hope that this book may serve as your “Spiritual Waze Application.” Waze has an application that helps to show you not just the road to your destination but also law enforcement traps, cars on the side of the road, traffic congestion and car accidents ahead. In other words, to give you real time information of some not so pretty road conditions. Better still, the app after it shows you the car accident or heavy traffic, it will give you a re-route so that you can stay on target getting where you need to go while avoiding the wait, frustration and delay from the current conditions.

Well my friend, I’ve been down the lust road. At first, it looks great. It is available to you. It promises pleasure (and similar to a drug high) it will deliver pleasure. What’s hidden in the road of lust is the pain, guilt, and hurt that it will cause you and ones that you love. Most importantly, understand that of all the many side roads on the Lust Highway —none of them lead to the incomparable love found only in Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:8 (ERV) “Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.”