You Can’t Unsee That!

Have you heard the phrase, “You can’t unsee that!?”

It’s often said in response to seeing something shocking and knowing, thereafter, it will be difficult not to visualize a replay of the scene, over and over again, in your head. Let’s say, for example, you’re in the dressing room at the gym when, suddenly, someone with a little less modesty than what you’re used to, streaks across the room in front of you. You can’t unsee that! 

But I’ve pondered this phrase, which is intended to be lighthearted and funny, and I’ve come to realize the deeper truth of it. Once you’ve exposed your eyes to something, it’s hard to keep that image from repetitively resurfacing in your mind’s eye…you can’t “unsee” it.  

The moment sin entered the world, the Bible tells us in Genesis 3:

“Then the eyes of them both [Adam and Eve] were opened, and they knew that they were naked…”

The eating of the forbidden fruit is what first opened human eyes to sin. Suddenly, we could see the things of God’s perfect creation in a way that was impure. This was not God’s original intention, but because we went our own way, we exposed ourselves to something we could no longer unsee. Now there is a whole world—which we were previously protected from—that has opened up, and it lures us into temptation with its repeating negative imagery…lust and greed, jealousy and pride…the list goes on and on.

The fact that we continually revisit these images in our heads causes the visions to become familiar. This is where things get complicated. In my experience, I’ve found that familiarity with wrong imagery causes us to begin to question whether it’s even right or wrong now because it’s so commonplace…”We see it all the time and it hasn’t hurt us yet.” These behavior cycles are evident with all kinds of sinful behaviors…sexual sin, anger that turns into violence, adultery, etc.

Visual replays are why pornography is such a lucrative business. The first time someone sees a sexually explicit image, they may think, “Oh, it’s no big deal. I can just turn that off and never look at it again.” But that’s a lie. You can’t unsee it. For the rest of your life, you can clearly recall that vision in your head and it can become a temptation for you to desire to see more. But seeing the same thing doesn’t create the excitement it once did, so you go in search of something just a little more risqué. Now you have two vile images replaying in your head and neither one does the trick anymore, so you’ve got to delve a little deeper…maybe this time you’ll act out some of these things you’ve seen and possibly even bring them into your living world.

Are you picking up what I’m laying down here? It’s not just pornography that works this way; I’m just trying to give a very real and practical example of how sin works.  Hardly anyone would ever purposefully dabble with things that they knew in advance would ultimately ruin their lives. Sinful behavior almost always starts off innocently enough…then the mental reminders keep pulling you deeper and deeper into the darkness until you end up some place you never imagined you could go, being someone who isn’t really you, and you’re so far from who God created you to be that you have no clue how to ever get back. But it all started with that ONE compromise…that one little look into the alluring world of sin.

I know…this all sounds so serious—and it is. But there IS actually an upside to this conundrum. The bright spot in the darkness is that you can choose what you allow your eyes to behold. You can, on purpose, create your own mental reruns.

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! – Matthew 6:22-23

If you choose to fill your eyes with things that are good and right, loving and encouraging, those are the go-to images you will quickly recall when you face difficult situations. These familiar mental films can be visions of victory and overcoming and the beautiful Glory of God’s endless love. Because once you see the shocking love of Christ, you can’t unsee it. Once you see the limitless sacrifice He made for you, you can’t unsee it. Once you see the life that’s possible when you purposefully turn from the lies and deception of sin, you can’t unsee it.

Like the old hymn says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things on earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” There is nothing more worth focusing our eyes and attention upon than the face of Christ. He is the One Image that will be the most helpful in our times of need. He is the ONLY One that offers us the most joyful, expectant, reverential, beautiful, holy lives we could ever hope to live this side of Heaven.

Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed , And shuts his eyes from seeing evil: He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure. – Isaiah 33:15-16

What are YOU looking at? The world or the Word?