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Most of us are familiar the three monkeys each covering eyes, ears, and mouth. This is to convey the principles of seeing no evil, hearing no evil and speaking no evil (I can't recall if this is the original sequence). Generally good advice – at all times and all seasons. For everyone. The principle of the prohibition of each is thououghly bibical, regardless of who originated it. I can still see in my minds eye the little clay image setting on a shelf in our home when growing up.

But have we considered the scope and magnitude of this “monkey business” - this monkey advice? Think with me for a moment about the multitude of the incredible responibilities we would have, and situations to which they would have to be applied, in order to follow them.

First, lets consider “see no evil” - is this even bibical? “...Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil.” (Isaiah 33 13-14 KJV)

You will notice that there is protection offered by God through Isaiah for refusing to look on the evil around him, implying that the temptation would be to participate in or be influenced by the evil looked upon. Are you reminded of anything in our society to which this admonition could be applied? One in particular comes immediately to my mind. Television is an incredible medium – for good and evil. It is being used for both. I have been dismayed of late at the quality of the programing in general. Sometimes just surfing across the channels is enough to depress a Christian, unless the mind is already conditioned to it. It reveals in general a cross section of this world. The fare offered is often dumbing down of the viewer, and can at the least desensitize the heart and mind. In the verse above from Isaiah 33, notice that included in his promise of protection is another condition...

Second, is the monkey who “hears no evil”. Again the universal pass time emerges. The envelope seems to be being pushed inch by inch toward acceptance of more violent, immoral and evil programing. As someone has said, “how long before the gladiators and the lions...?” In everyday conversations, we can participate in the hearing of evil, by endorsing it by remaining in the presence of something we know in our heart we should not be hearing. By listening, especially voluntarily, we offer our silent approval of the evil involved. At times it seems almost impossible to escape hearing evil or about evil. The more we have our minds filled with things of God, the less it will affect us when we hear it.

Third is “speak no evil”. If listened to enough, there is the temptation to engage in others sins via our words. This is a very dangerous and chilling thing to do, and does no escape Jesus' attention (Matthew 12:26). How would we feel then, as we account for every word. A lesser temptation perhaps, but none the less destructive to character, is willfully listening to and participating in useless talk and gossip. Cursing and bitter rancur result from anger over unfulfilled desires or goals, or delayed payoffs for our efforts. Too often we allow ourselves to demonstrate tacit approval of gossip and frivilous and base talk by listening to it. Do we have the courage to walk away when necessary in order to not agree with sin? But there is a “fourth monkey”- or there should be. In many ways, he should be number one, the success or failure or the other three proceed out of him.

The fourth is “think no evil”. To use an old colloqual expression, this is “where the rubber meets the road”. And for all of us, this is where spiritual immaturity meets us face to face. “For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NET) Note that we are to make our thoughts “captive”. We cannot discontinue having wrong thoughts immediately. We imprison them to restrain them from being fulfilled, until they are “killed” by the endwelling Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17).

It is here – in our thoughts - that the battle for control of our eyes, ears, and tongue is won or lost (Proverbs 23:7).

We must keep wrong use of them from being lived out, until they become deadened through the Spirit. They can eventually die in their prison. There is nothing wrong or sinful about our eyes. There is nothing evil about our ears. There is nothing inherently perverse about our mouths. God has made all to magnify Him by right use, and as a gift of grace to us, for His glory now and eventually, ours.

Are you having difficulty with the witness of the three monkeys? Ponder seriously and prayerfully the “fourth monkey”...

“For from within, [that is] out of the hearts of men, come base and wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, coveting (a greedy desire to have more wealth), dangerous and destructive wickedness, deceit; unrestrained (indecent) conduct; an evil eye (envy), slander (evil speaking, malicious misrepresentation, abusiveness), pride (the sin of an uplifted heart against God and man), foolishness (folly, lack of sense, recklessness, thoughtlessness).” - Mark 7:21-22AmpBible)

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

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