“Whatever is true, … noble, … right, … pure, … lovely, … admirable — think about such things.” – Philippians 4:8
Whenever Tammy Campbell thinks about it, she gets physically ill . . . For almost 3 months her family, along with 60 other households, unknowingly drank and bathed in sewage water!
It all began when city workers in Pineville, Louisiana, mistakenly connected a sewer line to an underground water pipe. Tammy started finding stringy white stuff in the filters for her refrigerator ice-cube maker, dishwasher, and washing machine.
She later learned the white substance was TP. (Yuck.) Other unfortunate residents found that their water heaters were filled up with other “unpleasant surprises.” (And again I say, yuck!)
City officials have offered the comforting(?) claim that though their citizens had a close encounter of the sewage kind, the chlorine in the water line should have killed most of the bacteria. (Makes you want to switch to bottled water, doesn’t it?)
Think about it. Those poor folks were taking baths in the dirty liquid. They were dropping sewage cubes into glasses that were then filled with not-so-nice iced tea. Yes, there were some evidences of something being rotten in Denmark (or, Pineville), but for 90 days Tammy and the gang were oblivious to the fact that they were using bad water.
With that in mind, what would happen if we tested the stuff you and I have watched (TV/videos/movies), what we’ve read (magazines/books/Internet), and what we’ve listened to (radio/CDs) this past week?
Like ingesting bacteria, when we fill our minds with filth we’re going to get sick … spiritually. In Philippians 4, Paul implored us to dwell on only “pure” and “noble” things (v.8).
You can compromise and say, “Well, most of the music on this CD is okay!” or, “I know that movie has a few nasty parts, but the rest is good!” But the bottom line is: you’re allowing “sewage” to seep into your head and heart.
Instead, take this in: “To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever” (Philippians 4:20). Bring Him glory by the way you use media.
Don’t allow the nasty stuff to make you spiritually ill. –TF
REFLECTION
• How much media “sewage” do I expose myself to each day?
• What three things can I do to cut out the negative or sinful influences in my life, and focus on more edifying stuff?
If it’s doubtful, it’s dirty.