There is a story of a mother who was peeling vegetables for a salad when her daughter arrived home.
The daughter mentioned she was going to see a questionable movie. The mother suddenly picked up a handful of garbage and threw it in the salad. "Mother!" said the shocked girl. "You're putting garbage in the salad."
"I know," replied the mother, "but I thought that if you didn't mind garbage in your mind, you certainly wouldn't mind a little in your stomach."
Although this is merely a story, the truth of it is factual. The mind can filter many thoughts and images, but some it does not. Some 'garbage' remains in our memory, rising later, like a corpse being brought back to life. Again and again, it reappears in our thoughts. Over life, the less we see and hear of the garbage the less comes to mind later.
As believers, we are expected to protect our minds, limiting the osmosis effect of wrong thoughts, concepts, and ideas.
1 Peter 1:13 states "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind..."
One interpretation of the word loins is that of human reproduction. We are instructed to gird up our minds so the wrong seed cannot germinate, giving birth to thoughts from the wrong father.
Part of girding up is keeping a watch for the enemy. The subtleties of which are cunning and many.
Philippians 4:8 explains that we should enjoy and focus on things that are pure, worthy of praise, and commendable. when we focus on those things, it not only pleases the Lord but relieves the stress off our own spiritual nature.
Today's prayer: Lord, I don't want garbage in my mind. Sometimes I watch, listen and read the wrong things, but that is getting less and less. Thank you for the purifying of my mind.
Photo by Dani Argandona
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