Verse of the day: But he, leaving his clothes in his hands, ran away (Genesis 39. 12).
When we struggle with certain sins, there is no other way to gain victory than to escape. Ancient naturalists wrote much about basilisks, whose eyes fascinated their victims and made them easy victims; Likewise, the mere contemplation of evil puts us in grave danger. Anyone who wishes to be protected from acts of sin must avoid opportunities for such acts. We have to make a pact with our eyes, not to even consider what causes the temptation, because such sins only need a spark to ignite them and they will soon turn into a great fire. Who wants to enter the leper colony and sleep amid the horrible deterioration there? Only he who wants to become a leper would thus court contamination. If the sailor knew how to avoid the storm, he would do anything not to risk crossing it. Careful sailors don’t want to see how far quicksand can sail, or how often they can touch a rock without water getting into the boat. Your goal is to stay as far away from danger as possible and snow in the middle of a safe channel. Today I may be exposed to great dangers. I need the wisdom of a snake to get away from them and avoid them. It is true that I can be an apparent loser by rejecting bad company, but it is better to leave the cover than to lose your character (see Genesis 39. 12). I don’t have to be rich, but it is imperative that I be pure. No bond of friendship or chain that binds me to the deception of beauty, no moment of carnal talent will prevent me from the wise determination to flee from sin. I must resist the devil; therefore, he will flee from me (see James 4: 7). And I must escape the lusts of the flesh, otherwise they will conquer me. O God of holiness, preserve your Joshua from being bewitched by vile suggestions. May the terrible trinity of the world, the flesh and the devil never rule us.