|
Day 6
How Your Teeter-totter Works
By Al Menconi
The
simple illustration of a teeter-totter
can help you, your family and friends
see the impact of music and media in
their spiritual lives. It is designed
to help people think for themselves about
spiritual values, rather than waiting
to be told what to think. This is important
when discussing entertainment that doesn't
seem obviously evil to them.
My wife and I set the guidelines for
entertainment in our home. We do not
allow any kind of music, television,
videos or movies that are clearly
against biblical values.
These guidelines have been in effect
since my daughters were born. They were
designed to steer my girls away from
obvious extremes, but still allow them
a lot of freedom of choice. They were
merely a guide; my daughters still had
to make choices. The extreme groups and
programs were easy to deal with—they
simply don't belong in our home. The
challenge was to encourage wise decisions
on the relatively inoffensive ones.
On a teeter-totter, the heavier the
weight, the easier it will tip. For example,
TV programs, music and other forms of
entertainment that validate witchcraft
or immoral sex might get a value of fifty
pounds of dead meat. Some lightweight
pop/ dance music or programs that imply
immorality might only represent five
pounds of negative spiritual weight,
and they would be placed closer to the
fulcrum on the board.
Does that mean these “neutral” forms
of entertainment are okay? That depends
on whether you want to fill your mind,
heart and soul with values that are only
slightly offensive instead of what is
truly godly. A pound or two of negative
material will not throw a spiritual life
out of balance, if it is already weighted
down with biblical values and the meat
of God's Word. But what about a life
where there is little or no weight given
to Jesus and the values He teaches? Then
any weight put on the side of the satanic
philosophy, no matter how small, will
tip the scales toward that side.
And how much attention is given to
the “lightweight” entertainment?
An hour of some “empty” entertainment
will probably not counteract hours of
solid Christian music, not to mention
church, and personal Bible study. But
what about the individual who is obsessed
with a particular TV show, music group,
or video game and spends hour upon hour
with them?
Gradually, those little five-pound
weights begin to add up. Each album,
poster, concert, TV program, movie, video,
and game adds a little more weight to
the negative side of the teeter totter.
Eventually, this may tip the scales away
from God altogether, or contribute to
a slide towards more obviously ungodly
entertainment. The movement may be almost
imperceptible at first, but over time
it will become clear that their relationship
with Christ is being affected.
Many Christians often put a lot of
time, money and effort into their favorite
entertainment. They dedicate a lot of
emotional energy; enthusiasm and loyalty.
All this adds up, piece by piece, pound
by pound. And what happens to the life
of a Christian when this weight builds
up? Eventually it begins to tip the scales
in their Christian walk. This is why
a believer should take inventory of his
entertainment when he begins to struggle
with his faith and joy.
Reflection: Sometimes
we compartmentalize our lives – in
other words, we have places for God in
our lives, and other places where we
leave Him out altogether. Our entertainment
is one of those areas of our life where
God is often left out. What areas of
your life have you left God out of the
decisions of your life?
Response: You
don’t
even need a teeter-totter to see how
your life stacks up in worldly vs. spiritual
emphasis. Get out all your most spiritual
CDs and put them in a stack. Now get
out all (most? some?) of your non-Christian
albums/CD’s. How do they stack
up? How about a stack of your videos/DVDs?
How many are honoring to biblical values?
How many have values that are against
biblical values. How about your video
games and the movies you recently attended?
Are you beginning to see a spiritual
emphasis in your life or a lack of it?
Verse of the Day: Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things
are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things
are of good report; if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise,
think on these things." (KJV)
Now here are some things to delight
in! God wants us to think on things that
are true, honest, just, pure, lovely,
full of good report, virtuous, and with
plenty of godly praise. He wants our
minds to dwell on uplifting things because
He knows how we function best. Our minds
dictate what we do and who we are.
It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t
be aware of the mind pollution around
us, but we shouldn’t dwell on it.
The reason can be found in the text immediately
preceding this verse. Paul promises us
peace of mind if we take control of our
mind and discipline it to concentrate
on the qualities mentioned above. Verse
4 encourages us to rejoice. Verse 5 tells
us that our gentleness should be evident
to everyone we come in contact with.
Verse 6 reminds us to pray with thankfulness
about everything and not to worry. Verse
7 promises the peace of God which is
beyond earthly understanding will be
the result and will guard our hearts
and mind.
Verse 8 implies that these commands
and promises will only take place when
we focus our mind on things that are
true, lovely and of good report. I can’t
think of a better way to “think
on these things” than by allowing
quality Christian music to permeate our
minds.
Does the Fruit of the Spirit radiate
from your life? If not, why not? Maybe
it’s time to evaluate the type
of entertainment you have been allowing
your mind to dwell on. Delight in the
Lord and in His Word, and you will find
your life full of the wisdom, faith and
joy you need to follow Him day after
day.
[Home]
[Previous]
[Table of Articles]
[Next]
[About FTMC]
[Contact Us]
|
