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There is a simple principle. If you put trash into a bag, you expect trash to come out of the trash bag. If you program a computer with nonsense, the result will be gibberish that may well corrupt, even crash, the hard drive. If we constantly feed on junk food, our systems weaken, our minds grow clouded and our bodies become candidates for whatever contagion might be passing around. Garbage in; garbage out.
The same principle applies to what we feed our minds. If we feed our minds on violent books, movies, TV shows, and especially video games, the result is violence focused either inward, leading to such things as withdrawal from reality to suicide, or outward, leading to acting out violently in the real world as in the Columbine murders. These young men seeped their minds in violence, emulating what they read, saw and what they immersed themselves in. This included video games.
If we feed our minds with sights and sounds of pornography, we'll find it difficult to establish healthy human relationships. This can lead to self-hatred, divorce, even rape and murder.
Whatever we feed our minds becomes the foundation of our thoughts. Our thoughts give birth to actions. Whatever the reason for feeding something into our minds, the fact is, those words, ideas, images--whether positive or negative--do influence us.
For good or evil, we reflect what occupies our time and thoughts, what we feed our minds. If we focus on evil, violence, pornography, or lies, we'll begin to manifest lives of anger, despair, and an attitude of mistrust, cynicism or worse. Garbage in; garbage out. Similarly, if we focus our minds on those things that are positive, healthy, and true, our lives will reflect these things.
Garbage in, garbage out doesn't have to represent our lives. We can choose to focus our minds on what is good and right and true. Yet, how can we even discern truth from error, good from bad of we don't first build a foundation of truth and right in our hearts and minds.
When our computers are programmed with the right information, they work as designed. When we eat healthy foods our bodies are strong enough to ward off most harmful contagions. So it is with our minds. Only as we feed our minds with healthy things will we be able to combat those things that might otherwise capture our time and thoughts and cause endless problems and pain.
A wise person wrote it best in this verse from Philippians 4: 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.
Garbage in; garbage out? Not me. I'd rather feed my mind on those things that lead to joy, satisfaction and hope. I'll focus on the positive truth.
How can we focus our minds on what is good and right?
1. Look for the good, the positive in each situation and person.
2. Don't wallow in complaints. Speak the positive, blessings about your life and situation.
3. Don't let your mind play the blame game. In other words, don't blame others (including God) for your problems.
4. Take responsibility for your life and actions.
5. Don't live in the past. Forgive those who've hurt you, learn from the negatives and from your own mistakes.
6. Move on.
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