The air was crisp with autumn scents and just a hint of coolness hung in the air. A rainbow of fall colors were scattered across the yard where leaves had fallen. It was the perfect afternoon for a cookout. Six couples had gathered to enjoyed hamburgers and hotdogs with all the trimmings. The coals on the barbecue had burned down and the party was preparing to fix an all-time favorite, toasted marshmallows. Long metal skewers had been passed out and everyone had their marshmallows ready to toast.

Suddenly the quite evening was pierced by the sounds of sirens. Two fire trucks sped past the house with lights flashing. To everyone’s surprise, they stopped at a home just a few houses away.

Curious about what was happening; everyone stopped their party and ran down the street. They were shocked to find a family standing in front of their burning home looking lost and helpless as everything they owned was demolished. The group stood in shock as firefighters fought to extinguish the fire. As the host couple turned to speak, they saw the bereft family glaring at them in disgust. They were completely caught off guard until they realized in the entire party stood by the blazing home, each holding their roasting stick with marshmallows on them!

I am sure the “siren chasers” never intended to offend those in trouble, but their curiosity did just that. The situation could have even been worse. Their uninvited interest could have hindered the rescue workers in their efforts and the marshmallow roasters could have been hurt or injured themselves. Either way, their unbridled inquisitiveness would have still ended with someone being hurt, emotionally or physically.

Curiosity by itself is not necessarily a bad thing but whatever we are curious about determines if it hurts us or benefits us. Curiosity is defined “as an intense desire learn or know about something and causes one to be drawn into or involved in the interest”. There is no doubt that it can lead one into dangerous situations, physically and spiritually.

I have no doubt God created us with a natural inquisitiveness because Eve possessed it before the fall. After all, her misuse of it is what got her and all of us in trouble! When God gives us an ability or characteristic, it is meant for us to use it within HIS guidelines and for His purpose. He states those rules in Romans 16:19, “For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.”

Satan is cornering the curiosity market in the world today. Instead of it being an avenue to gain knowledge about the Lord or worthwhile wholesome information and wisdom to improve one’s life and those around them, it has become an insatiable preoccupation to fulfill the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh. Far too many Christians are more inquisitive about worldly sin than about God and His Word.  Modern media has made it far too easy to aid such inquiring minds. Movies, documentaries, televisions shows and the internet all beckon people to learn more about deviant lifestyles, sinful pastimes, satanic followers and more. These make temptation even greater because they can be viewed in the “privacy” of one’s home, car or office, with no accountability to others or shame of being exposed.  We have no such privacy! “Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.” Psalm 90:8

Christians follow in the footsteps their Garden of Eden relatives, Adam and Eve, and deceive themselves into thinking God does not know! “And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” . Genesis 3:9-10

If He lives in us, how can He ever NOT see what we are doing?! “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”  Hebrews 4:13

Even the 6 o’clock news is guilty feeding ungodly curiosity, by graphically displaying and reporting painful, bloody, and violent happenings in the lives of others. By chance we are convicted, Satan provides the salve of “just keeping up with local and current events”

The consequences get even worse. The Devil is getting two for the price of one. He  has a head start on destroying our children through their natural child-like curiosity. These innocent little souls have access to all the same smut as their parents. Dad and Mom lack godly standards in their own curiosity appetites so they fail to see how and where their children are being defiled. They have become insensitive to evil through repeated exposure. Failing to see it taking root in the lives of their precious offspring until it is too late and the seeds of immorality begin to sprout. To compound the problem, in the name of being a “good parent”, they give their kids internet access and cell phones with little supervision, which translates to free rein into this unlimited realm of sin. It takes time, diligence, and commitment to protect your youth by knowing what they are watching, listening to, and texting.  Countless young lives in Christian homes are being ruined by exposure to porn and other wickedness they picked up on the “information highway”.

God commands us to train our children in the way they SHOULD go. Like it or not, the fact is a large number are training them in the way they SHOULD NOT go! “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

Instead of parents teaching Scripture in their home throughout the day, as Deuteronomy 11:18-19, instructs, the Devil’s has his textbook out holding classes with their children. “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”   

Years later, these same parents will shake their heads and grieve wondering what happened to their children when they had them in church faithfully and had regular family devotionals.

All things considered, we should not be surprised that modern technology is such an instrument of influence in corruption of God’s people. Just look who is in control of the airwaves that all this information comes through. It is no coincidence that our modern day communications come to us this way. Just look at who is in control of those airwaves! “. . . according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Ephesians 2:2

Misusing God’s gift of curiosity never works. As already mentioned, it did not work for Eve. Lot’s wife did not benefit from it. Maybe she too thought, “I’ll just take a quick peek and no one will know!” “And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:17-26

No matter how “grown-up and adult” we think, we are, there are things we should not look at, listen to, think about, or read. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Ephesians 5:11

Looking leads to thinking and thinking leads to doing. Ignoring God’s principles for our curiosity corrupts our spirit, harms our lives, and disrupts our fellowship with our Heavenly Father.  The old adage, “Curiosity killed the cat”, can apply to Christians too!

Published in the Oklahoma Baptist Newspaper, November 2012