Amazing isn’t it what we pipe into our home in vivid sound and color; we watch with rapt attention the antics of people we would not want to associate with in real life. To many, the TV characters are so real that they are devastated if someone dies in the soap opera series they faithfully follow.

Some might ask, "What harm can a little diversion do?"

What harm? If we dump garbage on our floor it stains the carpet. Can the trash that comes to us through the air corrupt our minds and stain our thinking?

As Emerson said, "We really are what we think about all day long."

Have you noticed that even after the TV is turned off, our mind keeps reliving what we just watched? Does that tell us something?

Paul gives us a test to use to check out our thoughts with. What should we spend our time thinking about ? Here is the test: "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."

For example, when we turn on the TV and watch a sitcom, is it true to life? No, it is fiction. Someone’s wild imagination dreamed up something entertaining to grab our attention, often with seedy overtones. Is it good to fill our minds with this stuff? Most of it fails the pure, just, good report and virtuous criteria on one or more counts.

But what about the news, that’s true isn’t it? If we knew the real facts of some of the things reported, we might not be so sure.

Assuming that the news coming to us is true, does it pass the other tests? Is it honest, pure, lovely, or of good report? What news do we really need to know? There is so much crime taking place everyday in every city and village, it seems that the news is only bad news about lost people doing dreadful things. Is it necessary to know all the details of the latest burglary or rape case? Is it helpful for us to watch as they interview all the neighbors and listen to the family weeping over the tragic event being covered? The news media is famous for milking every sordid detail and portraying it before our eyes and ears as we sit in our comfortable surroundings. We know that these things happen, but does it edify us to spend our free time watching and thinking on these things?

Paul must have thought carefully about what is lawful and what is edifying because he repeats himself in his letter to the Corinthians: "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not." The second time, he adds, "but I will not be brought under the power of any." Precious little on TV would ever pass Paul’s test. It is probably not a sin to own a TV, but does the TV own us? Are we controlled by what we see on the TV?

What fills our mind determines our character. What we think about is so important that God told Israel what to think. They were to keep His words in their heart, and to talk of them all the time -- when sitting, walking, lying down and rising up. Joshua was to meditate on the book of the law day and night. Solomon said that when we bind these instructions continually on our heart, they will lead us in the right way and help keep us from evil.

We need to resolve that we will not be brought under the power of anything that takes us away from our godly thoughts on those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report.

Solomon tells us that as we think in our heart, so are we. May the meditations of our heart be acceptable in the sight of our Lord, our strength and our redeemer.