Sometimes We Need Brainwashing

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; Ephesians 4:23

Sometimes we need brainwashing. I’m not talking about the religious cult type of brainwashing, but a mind cleansing.

We live in a world where course talk, negativity, atheism and agnosticism seem to permeate the very air we breathe. The old days when Christian ethics was the solid background music of America is long gone. All those God friendly television shows,  and all the packed churches every sunday are a thing of the past. God was once welcome in America, but the door has been increasingly closing on Him.

I would like to say that we Christians are changing the culture around us, as once was the case. But too often we are drowned out, or worse, affected by the ungodly noise surrounding us.

I find myself at times with an ugly thought in my mind or garbage coming out of my mouth and wonder where that nonsense came from. Then I’ll remember a show I let in under my radar where they said something ugly and realize I shouldn’t be surprised. Garbage In–Garbage Out.

Even if you are trying to watch a decent show on television a commercial will pop up that is at best borderline soft porn or ugly sexual innuendo. Things once not tolerated by American culture are now celebrated. I said about ten years or so ago The day will come in five to ten years when Christians will no longer be able to watch TV. We have been there for a while now. It is a struggle to find anything fit to watch and still you may get unpleasant surprises from the commercials. Back in the early 1980s we used to smile and sort of laugh to ourselves about the funny Christians who would not even allow a TV in their home. I’m not laughing now.

It is not just video and television that is a problem though. Thanks to the Internet and the anonymity it can offer people seem to have lost all civility. And that has washed over into the general culture. Online people are not treated as human beings but faceless nothings. Off line unless you fully agree with the crowd you are in you may find yourself scorned and “canceled”. Politics is the new religion and it is a team sport that can get you into family feuds and broken relationships quickly.  All this junk is in the air our minds drink in on a daily basis.

But as Christians we can cleanse our minds with prayer and the Word of God.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

We need a steady stream of good things pouring into our brains. Good music, good books, those old shows that actually had Christian Virtues in them. And of course the Word of God. Along with these things we can spend time with people who are positive and not dropping F-Bombs every other word they speak. And we need to monitor our own attitudes and language. For we also struggle with letting our lights shine rather than just reflecting the poor image of the worst things in this world.

Each day is an opportunity to reflect God’s goodness and love to a dark world. Let’s just be sure that we are so filled with God that the filth of this world cannot cling to us.

Prayer: Dear Lord, You told us the world would not get better, and we should not be surprised when we see that coming to pass. But you also said we are light and salt on this earth. Help us to keep our flavor and our light shining as You are reflected in our lives. Amen.