The Lust Dare: Day #6

How to Use "The Lust Dare" 

Day #6: Modern Culture Displayed

“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” –Matthew 26:41

Magazines are everywhere. Have you ever noticed that? Honestly, as I never really have read magazines, it always kind of annoyed me. Everywhere you go there are magazines: in the grocery store, in Walmart, in the doctor’s office, in the dentist office.  Even when you go to a library, it seems like that which is most beautifully displayed by the comfy chairs is the magazines. I always thought that it would be nice if all of those places had books displayed instead.

But that is not how it works. Magazines are what you see as you wait for the person ahead of you in line, they are what your eyes are drawn to when in those comfy chairs, and they are the only option to flip through while stuck in the waiting room. They are quite distracting.

Is there a reason we shouldn’t let ourselves be distracted? I would have to say, yes. Many of said magazines are covered with pictures of scantily clad men and women, and often the contents inside are not much different. Even those magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens or Country Living will have advertisements that would be less than desirable for those that are guarding against temptation.

For some people, this is a real temptation. When standing in line, it can be practically impossible to keep our eyes from straying to the covers of the celebrity magazines. It can even just be an issue because the pictures of sexy celebrities could leave you dissatisfied with the body that God gave you and aid you in obsessing over looking like a Hollywood starlet.

Joshua Harris speaks on magazines and newspapers in his book Not Even a Hint: “Today newspapers and magazines are spiced with content designed to stir up lust. Even if no photographs accompany the article, our lust can be fed by gossip about the love lives of celebrities, an article about sexuality that minimizes sin, or a short story that paints fornication in an appealing light. It might not seem like a big deal, but it all adds up.”

Thankfully, though this temptation is everywhere, practically there are steps that can be taken to make it a lot less frequent. If you struggle with the pictures on the front of magazines while waiting in line, close your eyes and flip the magazine around. Or completely distract yourself by pulling old coupons out of your purse. If that is not as big of a struggle for you, please feel free to grab the Country Living magazines or the like and place them in the front so as to aid those after you who might be tempted.

Avoid those sections of a library or bookstore where the magazines are displayed. If there is a certain magazine that you would like to read, have an accountability partner or someone who is not as tempted tear out undesirable pages for you before you read it. Throw away those tempting sections of a newspaper before you even begin to read, or have someone else throw them away for you. And keep a small book in your purse for when you visit the doctor’s office or the dentist.

“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.” –Psalm 119:1

Today’s Dare

Begin today to put away the distraction and temptation of magazines and newspapers. Be very honest with yourself about where these temptations lie, and flee from them. Get your accountability partner(s) in on it, that they might help you with even the practical steps such as tearing pages out of a magazine. 

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