Parents can protect their children only so much from the seedier sides of our modern culture. The brain doesn't have a delete button. An appreciation for modesty and decency need to be instilled in children from a young age (it can be done later, but it is harder and the damage has been done). So one of the ways the Lewis family (five boys) teaches their children to have "custody of their eyes" is a simple "game" called "Code Red."
Whenever anyone in the family sees lips touching (PDAs) or immodest clothing, etc. they call out "Code Red!" and everyone averts their eyes. Venue doesn't matter. Could be at the mall, watching TV or a movie, or on the street.
Parents could even incorporate this game into TV programming or commercials that have violence. Maybe even give it a different color...Code Black! Code Plaid!
This "game" trains them/us to be intentional in our visual consumption. We get to choose what we see. We develop discernment and self-control over our curiosity and keep a check on the initial spark of nearly all our desires: the visual image. Males were created by God to be highly visual, so it is extremely important to teach our boys to guard their eyes (as we must teach our girls to guard their hearts).
We can't control others' behavior or what the media spews out at us, but we can choose what we consume with our eyes, what we allow to become a part of our memory.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever is true, whatsoever is honorable, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Phil 4:8
Whenever anyone in the family sees lips touching (PDAs) or immodest clothing, etc. they call out "Code Red!" and everyone averts their eyes. Venue doesn't matter. Could be at the mall, watching TV or a movie, or on the street.
Parents could even incorporate this game into TV programming or commercials that have violence. Maybe even give it a different color...Code Black! Code Plaid!
This "game" trains them/us to be intentional in our visual consumption. We get to choose what we see. We develop discernment and self-control over our curiosity and keep a check on the initial spark of nearly all our desires: the visual image. Males were created by God to be highly visual, so it is extremely important to teach our boys to guard their eyes (as we must teach our girls to guard their hearts).
We can't control others' behavior or what the media spews out at us, but we can choose what we consume with our eyes, what we allow to become a part of our memory.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever is true, whatsoever is honorable, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Phil 4:8
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