Question: Is it possible to look at women and their beauty, especially during the summer around beaches, and yet not lust?
Answer: This is a timely and honest question – one that many believers quietly wrestle with, especially during the warmer months when modesty is often culturally redefined. As Christians, our response must be both biblical and practical, recognizing the reality of human temptation without excusing sin or denying beauty.
First, let’s distinguish between appreciation and lust.
God created beauty, and it’s not inherently sinful to notice it. Scripture tells us that Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and others were “beautiful in form and appearance.” Jesus himself lived in a world of beautiful people, yet He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). The problem isn’t the recognition of beauty; it’s what we do with that recognition.
Lust, as Jesus describes it in Matthew 5:28, is more than noticing someone – it’s entertaining thoughts that objectify and desire them sexually outside of God’s design. Lust feeds on fantasy. It turns a person into a product. And when left unchecked, it damages not only our relationship with God but also how we view others made in His image.
So how do we guard our hearts, especially in summer environments like beaches where clothing is minimal and temptations abound?
- Renew your mind daily. Romans 12:2 calls us not to conform to the world’s patterns but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This means filtering what we see through God’s truth. Are we training our eyes to admire beauty as God’s creation or to consume it for selfish desire?
- Practice the bounce. One of the most practical tools for men and women is what some call “the second look principle.” The first look is often unavoidable. It’s the second look – when our gaze lingers or our thoughts wander – that lust is conceived. Train your eyes to bounce, not linger.
- Don’t underestimate your environment. Beaches, gyms or social media feeds can either be places where we cultivate discipline or fall into distraction. We must know our weaknesses. Jesus said if your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out (Matthew 5:29). That’s not literal – but it is radical. Sometimes that means changing where we go, who we follow or how long we stay.
- View others as image-bearers, not objects. When we begin to see people not through the lens of desire, but through the eyes of Christ – as souls with dignity and destiny – it transforms how we relate to them. The Holy Spirit enables us to walk in love, not lust (Galatians 5:16).
- Fight from identity, not for it. If you’re in Christ, you’re not a slave to lust. You’ve been crucified with Him and raised in newness of life (Romans 6:6-14). Your battle isn’t to become pure, it’s to walk in the purity already secured for you by Christ.
So, yes – it is possible to look and not lust. But it’s not automatic, and it’s not easy. It requires a heart trained by grace, a mind renewed by truth and eyes submitted to the Spirit.
The summer season doesn’t have to be a spiritual minefield. It can become a training ground for holiness, where we learn to honor others and glorify God – even with our gaze.
Let’s not settle for avoiding sin – let’s aim for cultivating love, honor and holiness in every season.
Dr. Joshua Kennedy
Pastor, Praise Tabernacle
Egg Harbor Township
