You are what you watch

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. Philippians 4. 8

You may be familiar with the saying: You are what you eat. It stands to reason that what we take in to our bodies will affect how are bodies develop. So, should we not expect the same principle to operate in other dimensions of our being: our minds, our souls? That, surely, is the reasoning behind Paul's admonition to the church in Philippi: focus on what will edify you rather than on what will terrify, appal, titillate or appeal in any other way to your baser instincts.

In a world where we are bombarded - through social media - by so many influences, this calls for savvy and discernment. We must be alert to the often subtle ways in which our attention is being sought, we need to exercise discrimination in how we assess this material and we require discipline to follow through on our insights: rejecting what is likely to have a negative impact and embracing what reflects the qualities Paul commends to his fellow believers - originally the faithful of Philippi but, because it is in the Bible, the faithful throughout the Church of today as well.

So, the next time you turn on the TV, surf the net, look at your phone, wander into a book-shop or a box-office... "think about such things..."