Did you know that while pornography is rampant today, it is not unique to our time?  It’s true.  Just ask the mighty King David.

It’s hard to believe that the same David which slew a giant in his childhood, was ordained by a prophet to be king and wrote some of the most stunning and praise worthy psalms known to man, could fall from his glory, but fall he did.  I find David’s story so tragic that tears have run down my face and I have mourned and lamented his choices on multiple occasions.

How could this happen???  How could one who “danced before the Lord with all his might”, (i) plunge from the eternal realm?  How did David go from being chosen, protected, and anointed, to adulterer, murderer, and falling from his exaltation?  He didn’t jump right in.  No, he allowed the adversary to gradually wind a flaxen cord around him until he was bound.

Some might even consider his actions innocent in the beginning but we will see that what seemed insignificant lead to the unthinkable.  David’s tale stands as a stark warning to each of us.  A warning that none of us are incapable of submitting to sin and that the road to hell begins with small steps.  Viewing David’s path may help us avoid walking it.

He Was Not Where He Was Supposed To Be

At a time when “kings go forth to battle,” David “tarried still at Jerusalem.” (ii)  In short, he was not where he was supposed to be.  This was the beginning of the fall of King David.  Isn’t being in the wrong place a typical beginning to sin?  The birth of sin often occurs sitting behind closed doors, in shady places and during late hours.  Satan lurks in places where our armor comes off and our armor comes off when we are not where we are supposed to be.  Chat rooms, bars, and vehicles have all masqueraded as joyful intrigues but those who enter take great risk to exit spiritually and sometimes physically, damaged.  Such situations should be avoided with as much passion as one would avoid a dangerous pathogen.

Think of the difference between David and Joseph of Egypt.  When temptation whispered Joseph’s name, he literally ran.  Running from sin today might look like turning off a computer or phone, calling someone to pick you up or leaving a situation.  Running might look like closing a book, turning off the television or inviting others to be with you.  Running might require the embarrassment of leaving a movie theater or any number of things, but the end result of Joseph’s story verses David’s is obvious.  Seek lighter, higher ground when temptation whispers your name for therein lies safety.

He Entertained Thought

“What harm can it do to look?”  Or so one might justify.  All sin begins in the mind.  David, while on his roof, saw the beautiful, immodest and married Bathsheba but instead of averting his eyes, he continued to look.  Herein lies a powerful example of allowing pornography, or any sin, to take root in the mind.

There are many tools to divert our minds, such as replacing impure thoughts with a song or a memorized scripture.  My favorite weapon of choice is a prayer for virtue.  Virtue has a power all of it’s own and Heavenly Father never lets me down when I plead with Him for more of it.

He Acted

As is often the case, thoughts turned to action.  Devastatingly, David broke his covenants with Bathsheba.  He, who likely could have had any unmarried woman in his entire kingdom, wouldn’t settle for less than the forbidden and because of their sin, a baby was created.

He Did Not Confess

After David was immoral with Bathsheba, he did not seek immediate repentance.  Instead, he sought to hide his sin and the consequences of the baby growing in Bathsheba’s belly.  The lies started mounting.  First, David tried to make Uriah (Bathsheba’s husband) believe the coming child would be his. When that plan failed, he eventually planned and commanded Uriah’s death.  Today, we call that first degree murder.

David was so intent on keeping his sin a secret that he forgot that he truly did want to be clean.  Shame caused a lapse in judgement and David forgot who he was and he became a murderer.  The irony of David’s story is that now, everyone knows. His secret was never veiled from the Lord.

Hope

Should you be on any part of David’s path, an imaginary “what if” scenario could be useful.  For instance, what if David had been where he was supposed to be?  What if he had averted his eyes from the beautiful Bathsheba? What if, after sinning, he had gone to his priesthood leader and confessed his sin?  In the case of anyone reading this who might be following in David’s footsteps, what if you closed that computer or turned off your phone?  What if you confessed your sins to your spouse and/ or the bishop, if necessary?  What if you became an honest person?  How different might your future be if you leave your current path running in the direction of Joseph of Egypt instead of hot on the heels of David?

While the story of David might seem to lead to an extreme conclusion, no one can tamper with pornography, or any sin and not be harmed.  The damage might be subtle at first but it is there.  With time, the damage becomes more pronounced.  If repentance occurs at the beginning of a David- like path, the road to change is far easier than the prolonged quest for healing one finds when addiction takes hold.

David did fall from exaltation for the murder of Uriah, (iii) but forgiveness is possible for the rest of his sins, even adultery.  Guess what?  Forgiveness is possible for your sins and my sins as well.  That is the beauty of having a Savior who is willing walk with us through our trials and change our very natures.  That is the glory of the atonement!  He, who descended below your sins and my sins, has risen with healing in His wings.  (iv, v)  You and I can be clean Because. Of. Him.

Note: Should anyone reading this need help overcoming pornography, the church has a website dedicated to this purpose: https://www.overcomingpornography.org/?lang=eng