If we want to keep from sinning, the best way to do it is to avoid the source. One person acted on this principle in a strange way. At the public library in Coquille, Oregon, library workers found at least a dozen books in which entire pages had been blanked out with white-out by one of the patrons. This person painted over suggestive phrases and explicit passages in everything from romantic novels to best-sellers. Maybe they were trying to avoid temptation, or keep others from the temptation.

While I wouldn’t recommend using white-out to blot out any of the reading materials at your local library, the attitude behind these actions is a good one. We should love the Lord so much that we hate anything which is impure, whether in print, on television, videos, or the internet. If we really hate these things, then we will make every effort to stay away from them. Our love for the Lord should cause us to go a step further and steer clear of both the source and the appearance of evil. Then we will keep from falling.

Are you having a hard time resisting sexual temptation? Stay away from the source. I realize this type of temptation may be all around you and difficult to avoid; but for the sake of your purity, do whatever it takes. It may mean getting rid of your TV, installing an internet filter, moving your computer to an open place, bringing a friend or family member to keep you accountable when you go to the library, or throwing old books, movies, and magazines in the trash. Your purity and peace of mind are worth it. Once you take these steps to stay away from sin in your life, then you can help your friends and family find victory as well. You will find that practicing personal purity is even better than white-out.