Say What?

Philippians 4:8-9 “ Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

My 3 year old daughter came home from grandma’s house a month ago with a new habit of using TV and movie phrases in our conversations. She was asking me something and when I said I didn’t understand she said, “Whatever mommy, whatever.” I was shocked, but quickly realized she must have copied something she picked up from a show at grandma’s house (I quickly made sure grandma wasn’t showing them programs I didn’t approve). Then yesterday, I asked her to get herself strapped into her car seat. Granted, we had been running errands all day and she knows the routine, but she stands around or plays instead of getting ready to go. Out breaks a, “Yes, your Majesty” from my dear sweet little girl! Then yesterday, I got a “Yes, m’lady” which was considerably nicer.

To top it all off, she recently broke down in tears, crying incessantly about being scared that the world was going to crack. I thought I was being careful about what my kids were watching, but since my son is older I realized I must not have been as vigilant as I thought. I must be much more careful I must be about what I let her watch.

I wonder how often I do this in my Christian walk? Have I somehow slipped in some areas that I am not guarding my heart and mind? Are there things that I watch or listen to that I have no business watching or listening? There was a time when I was praying fervently for God’s presence in my life and I kept hearing ever so softly, “Turn off the TV.” I didn’t like that answer and prayed again thinking I must have heard wrong. God only said once again, “I told you to turn off the TV.” For a month or so, I fasted from TV and movies. I really did begin to feel God’s presence as I broke my TV addiction. Since then, I was released from that fast, but I often wonder whether these things can creep back on you and before you know it, it you are modeling and repeating behaviors you never had before.

I think this can happen even in the Christian realm. My dad likes to brag that his “girls” went to church every Sunday before we were born. Even after we were born, we almost never missed a Sunday, ever. When we went on vacation, either we found a local church or the girls put on church for the adults. How much of what I do and say in my Christian walk is something I have heard so often that it holds no meaning for me and do I really understand what I am saying. When I say, “Thank the Lord” am I really thanking Him or am I just using his name in vain? When I pray in Christianese, do I mean it or it so I can look good in front of others?

I haven’t been feeling far from God lately, but you better be sure that if I do the first thing to go will be TV and movies. Of course, the irony will be that God will ask me to do just that after I post this. Stay tuned for more developments, but in the meantime consider whether you are filling your mind with junk or the thoughts of God.