Watch what you watch

During our free time, we long to do those things that we enjoy. Reading books, watching our favorite TV show, playing computer games, listening to our favorite music band, catching up with our friends, etc., are few options we would consider. We need our eyes and ears to be functioning well to indulge in these favorite pass times. Do you know that our eyes and ears also play an important role in determining the course of our life?

Let us open the treasure book to find clues.

OPENING THE TREASURE BOOK

Proverbs 23:7 says, “A man is what he thinks”. What fills the inside – the heart, is what comes outside – our actions. So what we fill our hearts with, influences our actions. How do we fill our hearts? We fill our hearts with the information that we “take in” through our eyes and our ears. Let us look into an example that we are all familiar with.

We all know Adam & Eve were deceived by the serpent in the garden of Eden and they sinned. God had clearly instructed them not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They knew very clearly that they should not eat the fruit. But how were they enticed into sinning? How did this idea of eating the fruit get into their heart? The serpent started a conversation with the woman and lied to her.

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:4-5

So first, they heard the voice of the serpent. This information, even though a lie, got into their hearts through their ears as the voice of the serpent. Secondly, this information they heard from the serpent was strengthened by the sight of the tree.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. 

Genesis 3:6

Eve saw the tree was good for food and that it was a pleasant sight to the eyes. She took the fruit and ate it. She also gave her husband and he too ate it without any hesitation. What they heard from the serpent and what they saw with their eyes, influenced their action. Their action was wrong because it was disobedience to God and a sin. God threw them out of the garden. It cost them their good life and comfortable place of living.

Things are not different even today. The information that we collect from what we watch/see and what we hear, influences our thinking and our actions. Even though most of such information contradicts the word of God, we still go behind it and end up sinning. So it is very important to consciously monitor what we watch and listen to – the shows, movies, music and even games because they can lead us to sin. The friend circle around us also matters as we take in information from them too, that influences our action.

In Jesus ministry, many people believed in Him and followed Him when they heard and saw the miracles he did.

Eyes and ears are the “entry ways” for information into our heart – good or bad. So what we watch and listen affects our thinking, our actions and our behavior.

It is important to guard our eyes & ears as these influence our actions and could lead us to sin. Jesus taught that if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out because it is better to enter life blind than to rot in hell. Word of God is the ultimate truth that teaches us to walk right and act right. So if we fill out hearts with the word, then our actions will be influenced by it.

My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart.

Proverbs 4:20-21

We should incline our ears to the word of God and do not let it depart from our eyes. So when we have the word of God take up our eyes and ears, it will go into our hearts too. However, if it departs from our eyes and ears, it will slowly depart from our hearts too!! Haven’t you heard the saying – “out of sight, out of mind“. If the word of God goes out of sight, then eventually it will go out of mind too. The reason why God gave tassels on the garments of Israelites.

In Numbers 15 (37-40), we read that God spoke to Moses to tell the children of Israel to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations. The tassels were given to them so that each time they look on it they should remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that they do not follow the desires to which their hearts and eyes are naturally inclined to. Cloths are a necessity in life and hence by putting tassels on them, God made sure His words and commands did not depart from their eyes.

Incline your ears to the Word of God and do not let it depart from your eyes. For if it goes out of sight then it goes out of mind.

God abides in you. Whatever you listen to and watch, He too is listening and watching. There are certain things that you wouldn’t watch or listen when you are in the company of others. So remember, God is always with you and so watch and listen to only those things you can watch and listen in His company.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:8

We are instructed to meditate on things that are true, noble, pure, lovely, praise worthy and of good report. We cannot meditate on them unless we hear them or see them. So we need to listen to and watch those that are pure, true, noble, pure, lovely, praise worthy and good things. Abstain from watching and listening to wicked and evil reports. Do not watch intimidating murder or horror or cheating stories that will have an adverse effect on us. As we already established, what we watch and listen to influences us and can lead to sin. So watch out and be conscious about the things you see and listen to. Meditate on the good things.

Treasures uncovered

Prayer:

Father, we thank you for teaching us that our eyes and ears play an important role in determining the course of our life. Help us to incline our ears to your word and not Iet it depart from our eyes. Help us to fill our heart with good by listening and watching good things acceptable to your sight. In Jesus name, Amen.

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