The wiseman has a long list of ills that are associated with wine. “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine” (Proverbs 23:29-30). Woe, sorrow, contentions, complaints, injuries, bloodshot eyes are all the terrible portions of a man given to wine. On account of these dangers, we are warned not to be deceived by its sparkles and redness.

What we see inspires what we think, say, and do. Until Eve saw that the forbidden tree was pleasant to the eye, she did not fall for the bait of Satan. In a world of Internet access with obscene pictures, a child of God has to draw the boundary of what to look at.

Earlier in this same Proverbs 23, we are warned to distance ourselves from winebibbers and gluttons. The reason for this is not far-fetched. We are a sum total of the closet association that we keep. Our relationships can sway us to the good or the evil way. It is not only wine we should avoid looking at but every evil that wants to enter our soul through the eye gate. What we see inspires what we think, say, and do. Until Eve saw that the forbidden tree was pleasant to the eye, she did not fall for the bait of Satan. In a world of Internet access with obscene pictures, a child of God has to draw the boundary of what to look at.