Eyes on the Line

“Cause my eyes to turn away from looking at worthlessness, and revive me in Your ways.” Psalm 119:37 LSB

What you allow your eyes to look upon leads to where you end up going. Even driver's education instructors know this truth, as they instruct their students to look at the solid white line on the right side of the road whenever there is oncoming traffic. This is especially true at nighttime, when visibility is low, and bright headlights can cause disorientation and temptation to draw your focus away from safety. That solid white line is intended for drivers to stay in their lane and away from lethal danger.

When we disregard God’s commands and give into our sinful desires, it’s like staring into the headlights of an oncoming eighteen-wheeler and hoping not to crash. Whenever we allow our eyes to look upon the things that God clearly commands us not to look upon, this leads to patterns of unrighteous living, which eventually leads to death. While failing to look at the white line on the right side of the road could result in physical death, living apart from God and according to His ways results in a death far worse – an eternity in hell, receiving God’s wrath for our sin.

Consider what the apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15: “Therefore, look carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise.” As Proverbs 14:16 states: “A wise man fears and turns away from evil.” What you allow your eyes to look upon leads to where you end up going. Therefore: fear God, turn away from evil, and fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He is the white line that always protects us in times of danger, and our true guide that keeps us on the road that leads to life everlasting.