Making Wise Choices

During dinner tonight we started talking to the boys about making wise choices in everything from the food we eat to the things we watch. We talked about 1Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” And Romans 6:13 “…and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive form the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” We had a great time talking about ways that we can use the parts (members) of our body as instruments of righteousness and unrighteousness (NIV says wickedness). That led to a discussion about what goes into our eyes and how we can choose things to watch that are righteous and glorify God or are unrighteous. We talked about Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” We made sure that they understood that all of this discussion didn’t mean that we can’t have chocolate or only watch Christian shows or listen to Christian music but I hope that as they grow they will use these scriptures to guide them in the choices that they make.

But it isn’t only kids who need to be reminded of this. I remember a time when there was a show that I loved. It didn’t exactly follow Philippians 4:8 but I was being wise about it and there was nothing really bad in it. As the show became more and more popular it started to stretch farther and farther from the show I had enjoyed, and before I knew it I was watching filth. It reminds me of one of my favorite stories regarding media choices. In the book “How to Bring Your Children to Christ…& Keep Them There” by Ray Comfort he tells of an article by Jeremy Archer in which he allowed some “worldly” guests to enter his home:

While their behavior was questionable, they entertained his family, and he justified the friendship by saying that Jesus was accused of being a friend of sinners. Sometimes the conversations revolved around drinking, violence, drugs, the occult, sex, theft, lying, and other vices. But he said that they justified it because it was all discussed in an entertaining manner.
Their guests were having a growing influence on his family. As time passed, the behavior grew worse. Then people began partying, making obscene gestures, and even started having sex right in front of him and his family. As I read the article I remember thinking, “How could he let this happen…in front of his family! How could he be looking at them!” Then I read the final words of the article. He concluded, “Together we turned off the television.”

I think that pretty well sums it up!