My wife makes me watch Home Decorating shows. I've blocked Pinterest on our web browser. She makes me watch the real estate shows. She likes them. She likes to dream and wish about upgrades and changes to our home. I have to admit, I like the ones where they build and remodel. We could get into that business because we have a 3 boy wrecking crew that continually hones their demolition skills. We just need a little help on the construction. Those shows and websites are popular because most people want to improve and upgrade their home. You spend quite a bit of time there, so why not make it pleasurable.
Paul challenged the Philippians to change their mental homestead and keep it nice and spiffy. In chapter 4, verses 8 and 9, Paul charges them to fix their minds on certain things. In the NIV it reads, "think about such things." In the NASB it's rendered, "dwell on these things." Before you fire up the torches and warm the tar in the fondue pot, hear me out. I know that 'dwell on' means the same thing as 'think about', but it captures the meaning a little more than 'think'. It takes my mind to another meaning for Dwell. The idea of living in. I believe that is a fair way to consider Paul's challenge. We must try to 'live in' or 'dwell in' a better place if we are going to be victorious and become more like Jesus.
We need to move to a mindset of truth. We need to cling to truth in an age when everyone has their own truth which means no absolute truth at all. The end result of that philosophy is utter despair and depravity! We must move to a place where we cherish nobility. My mind goes to the time of knights and maidens. No matter how mythical that time was and how far they were from what they claimed, the ideal was correct. We need to treat one another with dignity and respect and serve something, scratch that, someone, greater than ourselves. We need to fix our minds on things that are right and pure and admirable. Our world values evil and sin and greed. We carry the attitude that is warned about in scripture. We tend to call evil, good and good, evil. Christians more than ever need to distance themselves from this culture of sin and hate. Not in a self-righteous way but in a way that portrays the truth. We are grace covered people who once were wrong, impure and completely unworthy of admiration. We still drift back that way even now, but the love of Christ pulls us back and makes us new! We need to change our mental address and fill our minds with things that will drive us to be better, think better and treat others better. When we are living in the right place, others will want to be our neighbors and see what makes the difference in our lives.
Now, can anyone tell me how to get my Parental controls to block HG TV?
No comments:
Post a Comment