Fill your mind
Ever since I first accepted Christ and began to grow in Him (more than 45 years ago and counting now), I have been encouraged to learn more about Him and His plan for me. It took a while for "my" life verse to find me as I read the scriptures and learned more and more, but finally I settled on Jeremiah 29:11, "I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for."
In my studies I also found Phil. 4:8. "My friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable."
In a post on Facebook in response to all the madness in our world today, I stated that I was doing just that, filling my mind with good things-things that deserve praise. But, in a response to my post, I was challenged to "not" limit myself to only hearing news that 'fits into my box of beliefs.' The comment asked how I was supposed to have compassion and love for people who believe differently than I did. I was asked how I was supposed to bring about change for people who struggle if I didn't 'hear their side of the story.'
Everyone who really knows me, knows I don't debate on social media. I state what I believe, backed up by what I know to be true (see previous verse Phil. 4:8) and then try to show the love of God to all people (regardless of color of skin or status in life) as we have been instructed to do in the scriptures.
I do not need to hear the falsehoods, that are spouted from every source, to have compassion. I Peter 3:8 tells us we "should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers (and unbelievers-my addition), and be compassionate and humble, not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing, since we were called for this.
I CHOOSE to listen to truth. I CHOOSE to not fill my mind with falsehoods and hate which bombards us daily from many sources.
So when I was challenged to "watch news that doesn't fit into my 'box of beliefs,'" I CHOOSE not to fill my mind with those 'news' stories, as they differ from the truth of the Word of God.
The person who challenged me is someone I dearly love, someone I have known for a long time and who I admire. But this person was off the mark, and I believe God will bring this person to task and open their eyes. That is my prayer.
In my studies I also found Phil. 4:8. "My friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable."
In a post on Facebook in response to all the madness in our world today, I stated that I was doing just that, filling my mind with good things-things that deserve praise. But, in a response to my post, I was challenged to "not" limit myself to only hearing news that 'fits into my box of beliefs.' The comment asked how I was supposed to have compassion and love for people who believe differently than I did. I was asked how I was supposed to bring about change for people who struggle if I didn't 'hear their side of the story.'
Everyone who really knows me, knows I don't debate on social media. I state what I believe, backed up by what I know to be true (see previous verse Phil. 4:8) and then try to show the love of God to all people (regardless of color of skin or status in life) as we have been instructed to do in the scriptures.
I do not need to hear the falsehoods, that are spouted from every source, to have compassion. I Peter 3:8 tells us we "should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers (and unbelievers-my addition), and be compassionate and humble, not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing, since we were called for this.
I CHOOSE to listen to truth. I CHOOSE to not fill my mind with falsehoods and hate which bombards us daily from many sources.
So when I was challenged to "watch news that doesn't fit into my 'box of beliefs,'" I CHOOSE not to fill my mind with those 'news' stories, as they differ from the truth of the Word of God.
The person who challenged me is someone I dearly love, someone I have known for a long time and who I admire. But this person was off the mark, and I believe God will bring this person to task and open their eyes. That is my prayer.
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