“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 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 4:6-8)
“WARNING: The content of this news report does not reflect reality but only a concentrated dose of reality’s darkest side. Short-term use of this product can cause a sudden rise in blood pressure, irritability, indigestion, anger, and insomnia. Long-term use can be hazardous to your emotional and mental health.”
This warning needs to go on the front page of just about every American newspaper. A similar warning should be posted before every news broadcast. Why? Because, for the sake of profit, our news media belches forth the most disturbing, dark, and divisive stories of the day. For the sake of sheer “shock effect,” the news presents life’s most sordid details in the most inflammatory way. The media’s flagrant irresponsibility is creating a sense of national paranoia. It’s making citizens fearful of each other, authority figures, law enforcement, and the government.
We have warning labels on tobacco products. We have legal disclaimers and warnings about the misuse of just about every over the counter and prescription medication. But where are the warning labels against the steady dark diet of distorted reality that spews from our news media every day? The same thing is true for the so-called Reality TV. Reality TV is not reality. It’s a concentrated dose of life’s dark side and it ignores the billions of acts of love and faithfulness that people practice every day.
Think about it. If you ever purchase frozen juice concentrate in the grocery store, there’s something you need to remember. Before you drink the juice, you’ll need to add several cups of water to the concentrate. Otherwise, the flavor will be overpowering. By adding water to it, you’re not diluting the juice. No, you’re bringing the juice concentrate closer to its natural state. In the same we need to balance out all the bad news we hear over the media by bringing to mind all of God’s blessings, all God’s promises to care and provide for us, and all God’s acts of faithfulness to us in the past.
If you’re disturbed by all you see and hear on the news, then follow Paul’s instruction here in Philippians 4:6-8. Pray about everything that worries you. Count God’s blessings and give Him thanks for all that He’s done. And fill your mind with the promises of God, as well as all that is true, pure, praiseworthy, and noble.
REFLECTION
- Are you careful with your diet, only eating those things that are nourishing?
- Shouldn’t we also exercise care with the things we store away in our minds?
