By: Dr. James Bachman
Dear Parson,
I am a Christian. The things I see and hear at my work place are often ungodly. Do you have any suggestions to help me cope?
First, keep your eyes open for a job with a better environment. Second, remember that your eyes affect your heart (Lamentation 3:51). David and Job made covenants with their eyes not to continue to look at anything bad that came across their vision, and to steer clear of looking where they might be tempted. “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes…” (Psalm 101:3) “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?” (Job 31:1) David also prayed for God to turn away his eyes from beholding vanity (Psalm 119:37). You are better off to suffer whiplash than lust. Look away at once.
While working at a factory, I was shocked during my first visit to the men’s restroom. The walls were plastered with immoral pictures. I stared at the floor and left as soon as I could. The next day I posted written Scripture passages like Matthew 5:28, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Proverbs 12:7, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” etc. About twenty minutes later the foreman asked if I had done that. I told him I had. He said the verses were torn up and scattered all over the floor, and that from then on, no one could post anything on the restroom walls. And I said, “YES!!!”
When I worked on the truck docks, some of the men told wicked jokes and immoral stories. I just kept working and drowned out their words to my ears by singing hymns. In Acts 7:57, the ungodly stopped their ears so they could not hear the godly words of Stephen. So we too, should stop our ears if necessary to block out ungodly speech. Ear plugs are fairly cheap.
