These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link.
Scripture:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Consider:
It’s hard to say, “Be careful what media you consume” without sounding like a prude. We all know the villian in Footloose is the crotchety old pastor, played by John Lithgow, who forbids dancing in his small Kansas town because it might cause the youths to get unruly. Every pastor I know does their level best trying not to sound like the minister in almost every teen movie, because they never come off looking good.
But that doesn’t change the reality of the situation which is that our influences, whether media, songs, people, life circumstances, magazines, or flyers in the mailbox, shape how we view and see the world. I could quote an endless number of studies, but this one from Penn State found more than half of U.S. adults are receiving their news from outlets that filter information through algorithms designed to increase engagement. Another 30% get their news from channels and written sources who utilize the power of agenda setting and framing to filter the news they share.
While the media did not tell you what to think specifically, it did influence what you thought about and how the information is framed does impact and influence your judgment of the topic. When you have a conversation with a friend on any given topic, it’s more likely than not you both have not only different opinions, but completely different sets of information. What we put in our minds does change how we experience the world and it shapes everything else too, from grocery shopping to friendships to politics.
This means we have to be intentional about the windows through which we view the world and how the things we consume shift that window. If you find yourself moving farther and farther away from the way Paul asks us to experience God’s creation, then maybe it is time to evaluate where and how you interact with it. If you find yourself most days more angry than appreciative, maybe take a break from the tv. If you find yourself less certain of what is true and righteous, maybe it’s time to intentionally recenter yourself in the reality of your lived experience. If you find yourself more exhausted than pleased, maybe it’s time to change the music station.
You have control of your experience and you have the power to choose different influences to help shape it. It’s your choice. But I would suggest, on either path, that you don’t give up dancing. It’s one of life’s purest joys.
Respond:
What are the major influences on your worldview? Sit down and make a list of what media you consume on a daily basis - and notice how you feel and experience the world differently after you consume it. Is there one particular influence which you might change in order to shift your outlook closer to what Paul asked you to appreciate?
Pray:
Moving God,
Sometimes in life we feel out of control and want to make a change. We buy new gadgets, try new systems, and rearrange our schedules in an effort to force the change into our hearts. Help just us to do the hard, inner work of change which comes from within first. Give us the blessing of the inward inspection where we seek, with honesty, the reorienting of our next steps. Amen.
