What information fills your mind?
In The Lord of the Rings, Pippin finds a palantír and is drawn to it. A palantir is a big glass orb that shows you truth. But the problem is it only shows you selected truth, edited truth. And that is not the whole truth. Truth, taken out of context, can become a lie that infects our world view.
We are surrounded daily by information sources that also show us selected truth. Anyone who watches the news can testify to this. It seems only the lives of the worst of humanity are displayed there. If someone does something truly heroic, it is added as an afterthought. The majority of what is presented is negative.
On Facebook people follow this pattern. Other than what someone had for dinner that night, it seems people post mostly what they are angry about, not what inspires them.
I have found that after a daily dose of this, I feel run down and tired.
Are we inspired by what we allow into our lives?
In Philippians Paul tells us,
"Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do." Phil 3:17 (NIV)
We need role models, heroic lives and deeds to learn about and be inspired by. The Bible of course is full of them. And there are people in our lives we can observe as well.
Today, try something, take note of just how much negative information comes at you. How does it make you feel?
Perhaps it is time to edit what is allowed into our minds. To be inspired to live a life worthy of the calling we received.
