“Keep thy heart with all diligence,” Solomon wrote, many, many years ago. He followed that up a few verses later with a challenge to “ponder the path of thy feet!”  That word ponder contains the idea of “building a road.” In order to guard our heart we have to build a road to purity.  I have tried to build that road in my own life.  I have partnered with others to help them build their road.  I am continually working on that road in my own life and in the lives of those who are my accountability partners.  Since this is a time of year when many of my college student friends slow down and head for home and many of my older friends have vacation time and so forth, I thought it would be a good reminder to talk about five high risk areas on the road to purity.  Here they are:

1. Social Media.  It is impossible, really, to think about life without social media.  It has a plethora of positive possibilities.  I am able to stay in contact with family while we are apart.  I correspond with people all over the world who have been touched by our ministry.  I message pastors.  I even offer counsel from time to time.  I am also aware that social media can be a high risk area that can very quickly cause us to wreck our purity.  Instagram, Snap-chat, Twitter, Facebook, and so forth, can all be an avenue of access to porn or porn-like materials.  I challenge each of you to slow down, observe spiritual traffic signs, and wisely and safely navigate this stretch of the road.  Your purity demands it!
2. Television.  Our family doesn’t do much television. We watch an occasional football game (Go Vols if you are me; Go Gators if you are my Jake; Roll Tide works for my Matt;  Go Bucs for my Josh; and Go Broncos works for all of us!) and on Thanksgiving evening my wife watched a new Anne of Green Gables! TV is rarely on in our home, so we don’t have too much trouble here.  I do know, however, that TV provides an easy diet of immodesty, implied and even open adultery, and commercial after commercial designed to offer sex appeal!  I challenge you to to see the high risk inherent in this very “normal” part of our lives, and drive safely.  Watch less. Keep a remote in hand at all times. Resist the temptation to mindlessly and aimlessly channel surf.  Your purity will be stronger because of it!
3. Hollywood Entertainment.  This one is obviously similar to number 2 above, but deserves its own attention. From Netflix, the Red Box, and even cable and satellite TV, we have more access to purity damaging material than perhaps any previous generation.  A movie night can be relaxing and enjoyable and a purity damaging accident! So be on guard here too.
4. Complacency.  This is a big one for college students who are returning home and for all of us who are enjoying some vacation time. “Keep thy heart with all diligence” is often easier to do when we are in our normal daily schedules. Our change in schedule can adversely affect our walk with God, our devotional life, and our normal and successful efforts at maintaining our purity.  There is a reason that Solomon uses the word diligence!  It will take just that to stay on guard during this time.  Be diligent!  Your purity demands it.
5. Lack of meaningful accountability.  If we are going to continue to build roads to purity, we much have meaningful accountability. All of us need a brother or sister with whom we can partner for purity. We need someone who will pray for us daily, check on us regularly, and be available for us immediately should we sense that driving conditions are hazardous ahead!  Go ahead and initiate that with someone. Your purity is worth it and you will be glad you did.

So there you have it.  Build a road to purity and be on guard for these high risk areas.  I have mentioned five of them.  I am sure that you can think of others and I would love for you to share them with me.

Thanks for reading,

Dave

Verses referenced above are found in Proverbs 4:23-26.

The definition of ponder came from Strong’s concordance.