So often, something will happen, and someone will exclaim, “Did you see that?” It may have been something extraordinary and could have been important, but someone may have been concentrating on something else or some other kind of distraction may have captured one’s attention. While one of the people saw it as something very exciting, dangerous or unusual, at the same time, the other party didn’t see it at all.
We’ve all seen blinders on horse’s eyes to keep them looking straight ahead so that they won’t be startled at some unusual or strange sound or something they see off to the side. Those things become distractions and cause them to hinder their ability to keep going straight forward. People are like that too. Even Christians may need blinders to keep them from reacting to distractions along the way. Those things can cause us to lose sight of our destination of Heaven. When we react to and give in to sin, we lose our concentration on the heavenly goal. Jesus spoke of this very thing in Luke 9:62, where He said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” We must set our eyes on the heavenly goal and not keep looking back, whereby we are tempted to participate in all those old sins we gave up to become followers of Christ.
So, what kinds of blinders do Christians need to keep them on the straight and narrow path? God is the major blinder. If we keep our eyes on Him, He promises, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). The Psalmist always reminded us to put our trust in the Lord and follow Him. He said, “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2). The promise is that God has done His part to help us keep our eyes on the goal. Now, it’s up to us to do the rest. Don’t look back at the old pleasures of sin and be tempted to commit them again, but be faithful to God and look forward to a heavenly home with Him.
Jesus is a major blinder. He lived on earth and was “in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was our example and taught us that we can overcome the temptations of Satan. James said, “every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed” (James 1:14). Man looks upon sin and wants to do the things that Satan offers. We must keep our eyes on the path that Jesus showed us and put blinders on to the offerings of Satan. When we do that, we “make… [our] calling and election sure” and “will never stumble” (2 Peter 1:10).
Fellow Christians are major players in helping us put on blinders to sin. The apostle Paul said, “…Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Does that mean we ought to be selective about with whom we spend our time? We can understand from Paul’s statement that keeping bad company causes bad things to happen!
When we’re with Christians, we’re not nearly as apt to be tempted to do bad things as when we’re in the company of others. After all, speaking about things eternal, we should all be headed in the same direction. James put it this way. “…Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). Sinful companions can bring one to do sinful things, and thus, separate him from God. Choose Christian companions who have the same heavenly goal that you do.
The next time you feel that your “blinders” are askew, place them back in position, looking neither to the right hand nor the left but keeping your eyes on the heavenly goal. Recall that Jesus said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Remember that God, Christ and fellow Christians are blinders that help us stay on the “strait gate” and “narrow… way” (Matthew 7:14) to Heaven!
