I learned to turn my head because dad turned his head.

Why did we turn our heads?

It was the bikini-clad beauty on the car commercial or in the beach scene in a movie. I learned that we were supposed to turn our heads to avoid seeing something that we should not see. I didn’t understand the reason.

I later learned that turning my eyes away from the indecently dressed model/actress was to avoid lust. Instead of gazing and taking the risk of allowing my mind to develop improper desires...look away.

I have made a covenant with my eyes;

How then could I gaze at a virgin?

Job 31:1

Job made a promise to himself to turn his head and look away to avoid lust.

Since that early head-turning lesson from my dad, I have learned that there are other times to turn my head. Did you know that not only does the turning of one’s head have practical value, it is symbolic of rejection?

In Scripture, God turned his face or hid his face from His people when they turned to idols. (Leviticus 20:6; Deuteronomy 31:18) Do you see all the turning? They turned away from God, rejecting Him. In disappointment, He turned away from His people, rejecting them.

King David pleaded with God, “Do not hide your face from me,” a plea echoed one line later: “Do not abandon me nor forsake me.” (Psalm 27:9) In the beloved Psalm 51, David pleaded, “Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.”

For God to look at a person brings blessings; to turn His face away is rejection.

Is there anything in life that you should turn your face from? Is there anything that you should reject by literally turning your head?

Sitting at the wedding of an acquaintance, the bride and groom stepped away from the officiant and approached a statue. They knelt before it and prayed. I could not look! It was offensive! It did not matter who the statue represented; nor the reason for bowing and praying. It was idolatry!

The Apostle Paul wrote…

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 

—Ephesians 5:11-12

Are you curious about sin? 

Do you want to know more about darkness?

Do you want to talk about the things ungodly people do in secret?

Be careful with your gaze. Keep your curiosity in check. To whatever it is that you turn your head to look, there lies your heart’s interest.

Idolatry causes God to turn his face away; but a humble heart captures his attention as does one who is moved by His word. (Isaiah 66:2)

What about you? 

Is there anything that causes you to turn your head and look away? 

What kinds of things turn your head to draw your attention?

The writer of Hebrews encouraged the saints to “lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.”

If, like Lot’s wife we turn toward Sodom, we will become like Sodom. But if we set our gaze on Jesus, we will become like Jesus. 

On what do you gaze?

Mark Stinnett

September 28, 2025