Mindless Media Consumption

If we're honest with ourselves most would fall into the camp of "mindless media consumer". Or at least we can remember a time or two when we got to the end of a movie and thought "why did I watch that"? Or finally see the lyrics to a song and realize that it says some surprising things. That's what can happen when you "listen to the music not the words", which I don't believe is entirely possible, but we'll give ourselves the benefit of the doubt. Today we are constantly flooded with all sorts of media. There are sounds and images that come at us everywhere we turn, some we can't filter but there is plenty that we do have some choice about. So the first step in combating "mindless media consumption" is THINKING about what we watch and listen to. We need to think about the message it's giving. What is being promoted and what values are being held up.
Once we're thinking more critically about what we're consuming then we need to hold it up against what we know is unchanging truth, the Bible, the word of God. Then we can see where it lines up, where it get's of track, or where it intentionally opposes the truth. Since Ephesians 5:11 tells us to take no part in the works of darkness we need to decide at what point are we doing that by what we watch and listen to. As Christians we've been called out of darkness and into the marvelous light of Christ, so as scripture exhorts us to let's walk in the light rather than the darkness we've been set free from.

Honor Marriage?

Honoring marriage is not something that we see very much of today. I can't help but think of some recent movies that have come out, Hall Pass and No Strings Attached. (No,  I have not seen either movie but am confident that the previews give me enough of the message.) Both movies hold up situations where people are "free" from marriage or really any commitment at all, for at least a time. In particular No Strings Attached, feeds the idea that sex does not need to be confined to marriage. Both movies also promote the idea that things are more fun when there is no commitment or relationship to worry about. Although the movies both conclude in the end that things don't really work like that, they take a very long, very crude way of getting there, while promoting many activities that do not in any way honor marriage.

Hebrews 13:4 tells us to hold marriage "in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled". This is a struggle in a culture that is seeking to redefine what marriage is. And a culture where "sexual freedom" is the norm. We now even hear the term "starter marriage", as if we were talking about a car or house. There seems to be no real honor for marriage, and no expectation that sexual relationships be confined to the marriage bed. Youth today really do face an uphill battle in towards purity. I pray that it would be the love of Christ that controls our youth. Realizing that Christ has died for them and they no longer live for themselves but to bring glory and honor to Him. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

Beauty is Fleeting... Part 2

It is true that physical "beauty", is fleeting, or vain, depending on the translation, but there is a beauty that never perishes. 1 Peter 3:4 says that women should adorn themselves with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. We should never let our physical appearance be our main concern. Paul writes to Timothy that bodily training is of some value, but it is training in godliness that has value for this life and the life to come. So a vain beauty that only looks at the surface is fleeting. There's no denying that our bodies are wasting away, and won't be the same year after year. God's concern is our our inner beauty. Do we clothe ourselves with compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, patience and forgiveness? Or are we concerned with fitting in and conforming to the standard that the world has put up as beautiful? I hope we can see past the make-up, photoshop-ed, computer generated, images that our society tries to conform us to. I hope our young men will view women for their inner beauty, respecting them as members of the same body in Christ. Young women I hope strive to develop their inner beauty that time can't take away, a gentle spirit seeking to do good works, not longing after the passing fashion of this age, or year or even week in some cases.