Last Sunday in Michigan there was an event called “A Mile of Men”. This large group of men got together on 8 Mile Road (a road infamous for prostitution and strip clubs) to unite and pray together and make a covenant with their eyes not to look lustfully at women. Although 8 Mile is a physical place we all have the potential to have an 8 Mile Road in our heads: an infamous place where we think lustful thoughts and do unspeakable things. We can see a beautiful woman in real life and then in our mind we take her to our 8 Mile Road. Sometimes we can find ourselves on 8 Mile Road as we sit in front of our computers. We know it’s a road we shouldn’t be on, but we drive down it anyways. We need to stop visiting 8 Mile Road. We know it. But we just can’t seem to do it alone. We need help.
“A Mile of Men” provided that opportunity for help. Men came together with other men to make a covenant together to say that they’re not going to visit 8 Mile Road. I was suppose to go to this event with my son but got sick and could not attend, but that didn’t stop me from making a covenant together with my son. We sat together and talked about the types of 8 Mile Road struggles we can face. How God has something better for us. And how, by making a covenant with our eyes in front of each other and in front of God, we could help each other fight this fight. It was a great moment. It was empowering. I trust that my son will keep the covenant and I believe he trusts me to keep mine.
But making it together has given us permission to ask each other the tough question. “Have you stayed off of 8 Mile?” We verify that we are keeping our commitment to God and each other. Knowing that you can be asked that question at anytime really makes you think. It can give you power when you feel weak. It can help you fend off an onslaught of temptations.
Don’t fight this fight alone. Find someone you can fight it with. If you are a father and have a son (or daughter) fight it together. Because knowing that if you fall in the battle he may fall as well is very sobering.