What We See Matters
My two oldest grandsons still talk and laugh about the times when Papa and I took them to the “red neck yacht club” in Oklahoma, Papa and I never gave them the “lifestyle of the rich and famous”. We gave them true grit, real outdoor living combined with the best fishing and roaring campfires and sitting by them for hours as they poked at the burning, orange embers. And they’ll never forget that it was Papa who introduced them to the scary movie – the one that freaked them out called “Twister”. It didn’t help that we were in Oklahoma’s tornado alley at the time.
My own two children recall us taking them to see the movie “Jaws”. We all freaked out over that one. A giant killer shark with eerie background music; that was enough to make all of us lose sleep! We loved the ocean, so why in the world would we take our family to see a movie about killer sharks that would create fear and concern when we went to the ocean?
To my husband and I, at the time, it seemed harmless and fun entertainment, but what were we thinking as parents and grandparents those many years ago? It sure wasn’t about Philippians 4:8, the scripture that St. Paul wrote: “Finally, brothers, 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.” I assure you, sooner than later, my husband and I regretted those times when we made light of what we saw on TV or at the movies that weren’t true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy.
Now, here I am in this older and wiser season of life when I am incredibly careful about what I see. Because what I see causes me to think about what I saw. And if it isn’t praiseworthy, then I regret I used my time so carelessly. “Your eyes are the windows of your soul” is an old saying, which sounds like it came from this scripture in Matthew 6:22-24 “The eye is the lamp of the body. You draw light into your body through your eyes, and light shines out to the world through your eyes. So if your eye is well and shows you what is true, then your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eye is clouded or evil, then your body will be filled with evil and dark clouds. And the darkness that takes over the body of a child of God who has gone astray—that is the deepest, darkest darkness there is.”
I live in such a state of peace, because I have chosen to not watch negative news reports, movies or shows that use poor language or have questionable scenes. I wonder about those who can’t sleep at night or live in fear because of what they have seen and meditated about. So, today, I hope that I am passing along some insights that I’ve learned from my own mistakes. I know that I must sound like a “goody two shoes” who does everything right and follows all the rules, but that is not the case. But, I do try to make better choices today than I did in the past. I know that I have found the sweetest, purest thoughts are what bring me the most peace. I sincerely pray that God keeps my heart so pliable that situations, movies, and conversations that don’t measure up to God’s “whatever things are lovely and a good report”, sparks my incentive to walk out or walk away. My measuring stick is God’s Word and the peace in my heart and mind. It is a small price for living in the peace zone every hour and every day. I promise you – it is worth it.