What Goes In Must Come Out

It was like 2000. As I graduated from college, (Go Lady Techsters!) I needed to put a resume tape together. For people in broadcasting that tape is gold and can get you noticed or absolutely not even considered. It's a chance to demonstrate your reporting abilities to earn a job in the tv business. Well, since my degree is in journalism (the written word) and I'd worked the last few years in radio, I needed to get creative; I made up 3 stories scripted them, then asked a friend to let me sit on a tv station's anchor desk to create a brilliant looking resume tape.

One of the stories I made up was about kids who play violent video games and the emotional/physical results that occur as a result. I videoed my two young nephews acting out angrily after playing video war games. Also as part of the story, I interviewed my sister-in-law and a friend (who was going to med school) as a mental health subject matter expert. The guise was what goes in the body - visually or verbally- comes out in similar actions.

So let's consider this a hypothesis: Let's take it to an adult level, and throw in a dose of "I consider myself a Christian." Does your life look any different than your friends or neighbors who are not Christians? Do you do the same things as them? Do you watch the same movies they do? Listen to the same music? Value the same objects? Treat indigent people with little time or respect when they cross your path? Do you visit the same bars and restaurants that would reflect your values?

This reminds me of that children's song Be Careful Little Eyes What you Hear:
O be careful little eyes what you see ...
O be careful little ears what you hear ...
O be careful little tongue what you say ...
O be careful little hands what you do ...
O be careful little feet where you go ...
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love

Well, as Christians we are called to be the salt and light to the world. With that being said, we need to be careful about what we are taking into our soul (though our eyes, ears, and where we go). "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light ... " Matthew 6:22

We are called to be set apart ... as Christians, so are you? Setting yourself apart? Are you creating an environment that detracts from the face of God or attracts people to Him? Know that with the title of Christian also comes a responsibility to GROW UP !!! "When I was a child, I spoke like a child. I thought like a child. I understood like a child. Now I am a (wo)man. I do not act like a child anymore."
1 Corinthians 13:11

Here's the bottom line: Be very careful for what you take in, what you witness, what you listen to, where your feet take you. Do you want to poison your body and disappoint your Savior or do you want to stay in The Word and surround yourself with like-minded believers to grow. Believe you me, Satan will take a hold of you anyway he can ... and it starts in small increments. "I like the beat of the song, I don't pay attention to the lyrics." "My kids aren't watching this movie/video with me ... I'm not hurting anyone." Yes, you are. You are hurting your witness ... hurting yourself and others who are watching you. For the Father up above is looking down in love ...

BTW, I landed my second television broadcast job with that resume tape that included the made-up story about the kids. We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.