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Scripture:

And masters, treat your servants considerately. Be fair with them. Don’t forget for a minute that you, too, serve a Master—God in heaven.

Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Don’t forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I’m locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.

Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don’t miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

Consider:

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Have you ever been able to yell your way into a good mood? I have definitely tried, and so I can attest to the fact that it Does. Not. Work. Ever.

It’s easy to look at our culture and notice what’s wrong. We see division, hostility, negativity, and a lack of hope. Our instinct tends to be to complain about that which isn’t going well or those things we can see that are negative. There is a reason for cliche terms like “misery loves company.”

But Paul gives us a different response in Colossians 4:1–6. Paul encourages prayer paired with wide and grateful eyes. Those two things working together, according to Paul, just might open the door of opportunity to let Jesus into every situation.

Think about a cold room. Complaining about the temperature doesn’t make it warmer. Someone has to actively do something about the cold to change it. In the same way, complaining about a “spiritually cold” culture, or complaining about what “those people do” or what is happening “over there” doesn’t change anything. We are called to bring warmth to a cold world by consistently pointing to the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of all things- through our speech and actions which are steeped in love.

Our conversations should leave people with a clearer picture of Christ’s active love in the world, not simply a list of what’s wrong around us. Every interaction is an opportunity to either add to the coldness or to bring the warmth of God’s grace. May we be the sparks of love and grace that ignite the fire of love the world needs!

Respond:

Ask yourself a rather tough question today: Am I known more for pointing out what’s wrong with the world, or for bringing the warmth of Christ’s grace into it? If the answer is not Grace (guilty over here!!) be intentional today in noticing and responding to the world around you…not with the negativity that is so readily available, but with the Grace and joy that God builds into every opportunity.

Pray:

Lord, help me resist the temptation to simply complain about the darkness around me. Fill my heart with your grace so that my words are seasoned with kindness, truth, and wisdom. Make me someone who brings warmth, hope, and the light of Christ into every conversation. Amen.

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These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link.

Scripture:

No harm happens to the righteous,

but the wicked receive their fill of trouble.

The Lord detests false lips;

he favors those who do what is true.

The shrewd conceal their knowledge,

but the heart of fools proclaims their stupidity.

A hard worker is in charge,

while a lazy one will be sentenced to hard labor.

Anxiety leads to depression,

but a good word encourages.

The righteous offer guidance to their neighbors,

but the path of the wicked makes them wander.

The lazy don’t roast their prey,

but hard workers receive precious riches.

The way of the righteous leads to life,

but the detestable path leads to death.

Consider:

It’s ok to coast through life, not really trying, right? I mean, coasting isn’t really hurting anyone or doing anything really “wrong”, it just may be a poor attempt at trying this whole “love one another as I have loved you” thing. I mean, that’s a tall order when I can’t manage to have patience for the guy in front of me in the Starbucks drive through!

This passage of scripture is a rather stark reminder that righteousness isn’t only about avoiding wrong or just doing the bare minimum…it is also about intentionally living and being and doing good in the name of God, especially through the way we speak to and care for others.

Have you ever been TRULY noticed by someone? As in, noticed and commented on a small but significant moment that you noticed and admired in someone else? We often tell people, “You’re great,” “Good job,” or “I appreciate you.” While kind, those words can be tossed around without much thought and stay vague enough to not signify any real recognition. Specific appreciation, however, communicates something much deeper. It says, I see you. I noticed. What you did mattered.

Vague praise is easy and can be tossed out often, but specific appreciation takes intention and thought, and truly validates the other. Taking the time to notice the details is where love becomes real. It tells someone they are seen—not just for what they accomplish, but for who they are becoming.

As followers of Christ, we are called to be people whose words give life. We aren’t called to toss platitudes around (ahem… #blessed) and then live our lives yelling at the Starbucks line…We are called to be thoughtful and intentional when we approach the world, and take note of those around us as children of God, worthy of notice and validation. That means slowing down enough to observe God’s work in others and speaking it aloud. May we all take time to notice and share in the joys of speaking validation to ourselves and others!

Respond:

Today, take time to really notice someone around you. Not just a glance or a general look…a real and God centered intentional notice…Look for the quiet faithfulness, the unseen sacrifice, the act of kindness others overlook. Then tell them specifically what you saw. Take note of how that act of noticing affects them, and you!

Pray:

Lord, help me become someone who sees others the way You do. Give me eyes to notice faithfulness, kindness, and quiet acts of love. May my words be truthful, encouraging, and life-giving. Teach me to move beyond empty compliments and offer genuine appreciation that reflects Your heart. Amen.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link.

Scripture:

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.

I am happy because you have joined me in spreading the good news from the first day until now. Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Consider:

I love Christmas Eve morning. Not the chaos of the kids running down the stairs to see what Santa brought - though those days are coming to end for at least one of my children - but the quiet moments with the tree and a cup of coffee. I always look through the names on each package and give thanks for the blessings of family and friends. I then laugh at the names on the packages which are just made up - it wouldn’t do for them to get too many present from Mom and Dad, so they also get presents from famous people or cartoon characters too. I love the potential of an unwrapped gift.

But, the true blessing of that morning comes in the gratitude and thankfulness which comes after the gift is unwrapped. Until the paper comes off it’s just a pretty box. Once the gift is revealed, it fills us with joy and gratitude beyond measure.

An unspoken compliment is like a wrapped gift that is never given - It holds immense value, but brings no joy to the person it was meant for. Silent appreciation may comfort our own souls, but it does nothing to build up a person or a community.

A community cannot thrive on warm thoughts that never leave our lips.

Scripture reminds us that the power of life and death resides in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). When we vocalize our gratitude, we actively release life, light, and endurance into someone else’s atmosphere.

However, praise carries its greatest power when it is vocalized and specific.

Generic compliments (“Great job today!”) are polite, but specific encouragement (“I saw how patiently you listened to that family this morning, and your kindness brought so much peace to the room”) anchors the grace in reality. Specific praise communicates something profound: I see you. Your quiet labor matters. God is working through you.

When we give specific praise, we aren’t just complimenting performance; we are validating identity and purpose.

A strong community isn’t built by accident; it is constructed word by word, encouragement by encouragement. Today, let’s move our gratitude out of the quiet corners of our minds and speak it boldly into the room.

Respond:

Identify one person whose presence or effort has blessed you recently. Reach out to them today—via text, a phone call, or face-to-face—and give them one specific reason you appreciate them.

Pray:

Loving Lord,

Forgive me for keeping my gratitude locked inside my own heart. Open my eyes to notice the faithful, often unseen efforts of those around me. Give me the words and the courage to speak specific, life-giving praise today so that our community may be built up in Your love. Amen.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link.

Scripture:

9 Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good. 10 Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other. 11 Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic—be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord! 12 Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you’re in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of God’s people, and welcome strangers into your home. 14 Bless people who harass you—bless and don’t curse them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying. 16 Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think that you’re better than anyone else. Instead, associate with people who have no status. Don’t think that you’re so smart.

Consider:

“Do not waste time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbour; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.”

* C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

I read Mere Christianity in college and was both intrigued and bothered by this quote…acting like I love someone? Doesn’t that mean I’m being fake? But as I’ve grown in wisdom and age, I’ve come to realize a different understanding of this “acting as if you love someone”... to me here and now, it means not missing a moment to stop and recognize that which is good and strong and wise in those I probably take for granted regularly. It means remembering that there is something in everyone that is lovable…and finding that thing is one of my responsibilities within my faith even when I may not particularly “feel like it” at the moment.

Romans 12:9–16 gives a beautiful picture of what genuine Christian community looks like. Love isn’t described as a feeling alone—it is a way of doing and living. We are to love one another in very real ways: honor one another above ourselves, rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn, and live in harmony with one another.

One of the ways we can live out these verses is by learning to truly and actively appreciate the people God has placed in our lives. It’s easy to become so familiar with family members, coworkers, church friends, or neighbors that we stop noticing the gifts, strengths, and unique ways God is working in them. It’s a conscious act to regularly notice and celebrate those around you, one that we too often forget to do in the busyness of everyday life!

Respond:

Who is one person you can intentionally notice today? What are the very real things you can love and celebrate here and now?

Today, ask God to help you see someone with fresh eyes. Look beyond routine and rediscover the remarkable qualities God’s placed within them. A sincere word of encouragement, gratitude, or recognition can strengthen someone’s heart and reflect the love of Christ.

Pray:

Loving Lord,

help me to love sincerely and honor others as you have called me to do. Slow me down so I can see the people around me through your eyes. Help me to appreciate their gifts, encourage their hearts, and rejoice and grieve alongside them with genuine compassion. May my words and actions reflect your love today. Amen.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link.

Scripture:

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Consider:

I had one of those surreal parenting moments where you are both engaging in the conversation and able to see your own behavior at the same time. We were talking about something innocuous at the dinner table - I honestly don’t remember what it was - when my daughter made “the face”. My kids all started laughing and pointing, telling her she was making the “mom face”. To which I replied: “Do I really look like that?”

“Yes.” they said, “It’s your mom face - they one you make when you are mad about something.”

I did not like that face. Mostly because it looked too much like my own Mother’s Mom face and because it made me wonder if that was the face they saw most often from me.

My kids are amazing. They make me laugh on a regular basis. I’m often impressed by their bravery and curiosity, by one child’s friendliness and another child’s kindness. I notice how they support each other and play together well - most of the time. I see them becoming the best version of themselves and celebrate.

But I wonder if I ever actually told them any of those things.

So over the last few weeks, I’ve greatly reduced the appearance of the mom face in exchange for celebration mode. I’ve been intentional about telling them when they do amazing things. I’m leading with the positive of what just happened instead of immediately leaping towards the mistakes. I’ve given them more freedom and laid off the micro-managing.

It turns out we are all much happier with this arrangement.

Too often, we only mention or point out when things go wrong - either with each other or with God. But Paul challenges us here to make a point of noticing the good in each other - and then taking the extra step of TELLING THEM. It seems so obvious, but we are much quicker with condemnation than praise.

If we shifted towards a praise mindset instead of a critical one, and we chose to speak the words of thanksgiving instead of the words of anger and bitterness, I wonder how our lives may change.

Respond:

Which do you find yourself doing more often - criticising or celebrating? Today, try and take a different tactic and let someone know how much you appreciate the good thing they just did. Don’t just think it… say it!

Pray:

Moving God,

Sometimes in life we feel out of control and want to make a change. We buy new gadgets, try new systems, and rearrange our schedules in an effort to force the change into our hearts. Help us to do the hard, inner work of change which comes from within first. Give us the blessing of the inward inspection where we seek, with honesty, the reorienting of our next steps. Amen.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link.

Scripture:

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable…

Consider:

In Middle school, I played soccer as the star goal keeper on our team. I was undersized, but I had good instincts, fast hands, and most importantly, I was fearless. I was an integral part of the team: An anchor, the last line of defense when everything else had gone wrong. Then something terrible happened or more accurately, something didn’t happen. When our team moved up into the high school level, the size of the goals increased to full-sized goals. I unfortunately did not grow up with them. I stayed short. I was replaced by a new kid who was probably six-one. This meant I became a bench player.

Since then I felt a new fear: the fear of being rejected. I suddenly felt like I was expendable, that my participation and my perseverance could mean nothing if I wasn’t ‘good enough’. Often it has led me to choose what I thought was safer and not to participate at all.

I’ve had enough conversations with others that I know I’m not alone in this fear. It’s a sad reality of our world, and unfortunately a sad reality in many of our churches. Many people fear being left behind whether that be age, their gender, personality, or their personal beliefs.

There is a phrase that I have been hearing more and more regularly. It goes something like, “You don’t owe anyone anything.” It is a phrase that is meant to help you mentally and emotionally set boundaries. But it’s cold isn’t it? There is a certain truth to the idea, though it ignores something spiritual, and I would dare to say human. To say, “You don’t owe anyone anything” is only to ignore just how deeply needy we are. How deeply connected we are. We help because we see the other person for who they truly are. We see us. Someone who is not an island, but a person connected to us through history, empathy, and purpose.

At this past Montreat Youth Conference, I was a part of a conversation where we were asked the question: “if there was one thing about the world that you would ask God to change what it would be?” There were several great answers, but one stuck out the most. The teen said, “I would ask God to make it so that when you or anyone else walked into a room they wouldn’t have to worry about being judged…Judged for their hair, how they talked or just some awkwardness.

I think this teen hit on something that Paul did too. Being judged is being rejected. You feel like an outcast or maybe even a loser. It’s the act of saying you’re different, so I can say to you, “I have no need for you.” Christianity says the opposite. Not only is there value in variety, but excellence comes from variety. The redemption Christ brings is not for you to stagnate in isolation, or to become just like everybody else, but to grow in community as the diverse people of God.

Respond:

When was the last time you embraced something different about yourself? When was the last time you embraced something different about someone else?

Pray:

God of all diversity,

We walk in search of your purpose. We repent of the times we have made others feel left out and the times we have laughed at others expense. We pray for eyes that can see the connective tissue of this body of the church. You are our head. Guide us in your perfect ways.

Amen.

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These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link.

Scripture:

Argue it out with your neighbor, and don’t give away someone’s secret.

Otherwise, the one who hears it will vilify you; the slander against you will never stop.

Words spoken at the right time are like gold apples in a silver setting.

Wise correction to an ear that listens is like a gold earring or jewelry of fine gold.

Like the coolness of snow on a harvest day are reliable messengers to those who send them; they restore the life of their master.

People who brag about a gift never given are like clouds and wind that produce no rain.

A commander can be persuaded with patience, and a tender tongue can break a bone.

Consider:

This passage is steeped in wisdom about relationships—how we handle one another in conflict, how we keep confidence with one another, how we speak wisely (or unwisely!), and how we influence one another through patience. The common thread in all of this is that a healthy community depends on all of its people using each of their strengths to build one another up. There is no one person doing all the work, or owning all the gifts and skills…there is a community full of people using individual gifts to bring about a solid structure.

Some people are gifted listeners….some have the gift of gab. This is not to say that we as God’s children aren’t called to grow and learn and seek out new ways to connect with others, but it is assurance that no one person is destined to have it all. Not everyone has the gift of saying the right thing at the right time. Some people are encouragers. Some are patient peacemakers, while others are dependable servants. God doesn’t expect one person to excel in every area, but God does expect each of us to discover and use our gifts to build up rather than tear down.

God designed us all to live in community, where each person contributes unique gifts, wisdom, and perspectives. When we try to do everything ourselves, we often become exhausted. But when we trust one another and allow others to use their God-given strengths, everyone benefits.

These verses remind us that our words, actions, and character affect the people around us. A trustworthy friend, a wise counselor, a patient encourager, and a faithful messenger all play different but equally valuable roles. Together, we reflect God’s wisdom more completely than any one of us could alone. So stop trying to “do it all” or be it all” (that’s a personal reprimand, by the way), and open yourself today to the gift YOU have that is unique, timely, and very needed in the building of the beloved community around you!

Respond:

Where are you trying to be everything for everyone? How might God be inviting you to lean on the gifts of others—and to offer your own gifts with humility?

Pray:

Lord of all gifts,

Thank you for creating us to need one another. Help me to celebrate the gifts you’ve given others instead of feeling like I have to do everything myself. Teach me to use my own strengths faithfully, encourage those around me, and build relationships marked by trust, wisdom, and patience. May our community reflect your love as we serve one another. Amen.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link.

Scripture:

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Consider:

My kids are in a phase where they are, quite literally, measuring themselves against one another. Perhaps it’s inevitable in a family of three children to look at one another with both love and an edge of competitiveness - and in our family, the competitiveness has currently turned to who is the tallest and the strongest. Right now, that is our oldest simply because she is the oldest, but I believe she is beginning to acknowledge the reality of her situation, which is that she is the oldest but she’s also a girl which means, most likely, she will eventually lose both the title strongest and tallest. Though in my family of origin I am the tallest and my brother is the shortest, so anything is possible I guess.

This act of comparison has leaked over onto the parents too. This morning at breakfast, my youngest made me stand back to back with him to see who was the tallest.

I won.

This act of comparison comes out exactly as you’d expect, with one child despondent because they “lost” the comparison while the other is resplendent in their victory until they find something else to compete about so someone else has a chance to win.

Isn’t that what our adult lives are like? I’d like to say we’ve grown out of height contests, but we really haven’t. We sometimes still do stand next to one another and look at our heights or weight or strength. Other times, those comparisons are metaphorical contests of height using our bank accounts, house size, and vacation destinations. We spend so much of our time trying to win.

In 1 Peter, the author warns us about this approach to life. Instead, he reminds us, our first job is to speak the words of God to one another. This sounds like a daunting task which requires us to spend 3 years in seminary and wander up a mountain path to speak with a reclusive sage, but speaking the words of God is so much simpler than that benchmark because those words come from a much easier place in our hearts - that of love and kindness to one another.

Maybe, if we have to feel like we’ve won a contest, we should win the one where the winner is the one who loved best.

Respond:

What kind of words do you use on a daily basis? Do you lead with love or do you use your words and mind to try to win?

Pray:

Moving God,

Sometimes in life we feel out of control and want to make a change. We buy new gadgets, try new systems, and rearrange our schedules in an effort to force the change into our hearts. Help just us to do the hard, inner work of change which comes from within first. Give us the blessing of the inward inspection where we seek, with honesty, the reorienting of our next steps. Amen.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link.

Scripture:

O Lord, you have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from far away.

You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

O Lord, you know it completely.

You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is so high that I cannot attain it.

Consider:

The idea of anyone, even God, knowing us completely is terrifying! Think about instances in our lives when, in a moment of weakness, we have made a terrible decision. There are instances in my own life, which continue to haunt me in my thoughts, even 40 and 50 years after.

There was a time in the summer of 1978, the year that my family moved to the United States, and my brother and I had befriended some young people in our neighborhood. One of the older kids organized a friendly game of baseball, and I miraculously hit the ball (I say miraculously, because I wasn’t particularly athletic and baseball was “foreign’ to me). As I ran to first base the ball was thrown to the baseman who caught it just as I was getting to base. It was a close call, but I knew that I had not made it there on time. But the organizer kid left it up to me to make the call because “why would I lie?” Well, I did. I lied. I called it safe, and the first baseman looked at me in the eye knowingly and said nothing. I never came clean, and the truth is that I had never revealed my sad little secret. This haunts me!

Two different Bible characters that come to mind when I think about this Psalm. One is Adam, who in Genesis Chapter 3 committed the big “Oops!” (in a moment of weakness). And when God, whom Adam knew face to face, came around looking for him, Adam hid. How silly is this? Yet don’t we have the same reaction to our own sins? Don’t we try to hide them from the all-knowing God?

David, however, takes a very different approach. David knows that same all-knowing God, and in this Psalm, David himself prayerfully calls out God’s knowledge of him. David knows that God knows absolutely everything about him, when I sit or when I rise - meaning always. Before I say what I say, He knows. There is no need to hide in the bushes! David, by verbalizing God’s omniscience puts himself in the right place when approaching God, and praises God for his knowledge. He calls it out in praise, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.”

Yes, God knowing us completely is terrifying but only until we realize that God knows us thoroughly, yet He loves us thoroughly. This is too wonderful. God knows that silly kid who hoping to be accepted, he wanted to make base so badly, that he was willing to lie about it.

Respond:

Have we come to terms with the idea of an all-knowing God? Let’s use this psalm to verbalize it. Let’s stop trying to hide in the bushes because He already knows. He knows and yet He invites us to communion with Him.

Pray:

Father God, You ARE all knowing, and this is not an easy concept for us to grasp. Give us the wisdom to seek you instead of hiding from you, especially when we sin against you. We praise you for your omniscience, help us to remove the obstacles we have put in the way of fully surrendering to you, our Rock and our Redeemer. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link.

Scripture:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Consider:

It’s hard to say, “Be careful what media you consume” without sounding like a prude. We all know the villian in Footloose is the crotchety old pastor, played by John Lithgow, who forbids dancing in his small Kansas town because it might cause the youths to get unruly. Every pastor I know does their level best trying not to sound like the minister in almost every teen movie, because they never come off looking good.

But that doesn’t change the reality of the situation which is that our influences, whether media, songs, people, life circumstances, magazines, or flyers in the mailbox, shape how we view and see the world. I could quote an endless number of studies, but this one from Penn State found more than half of U.S. adults are receiving their news from outlets that filter information through algorithms designed to increase engagement. Another 30% get their news from channels and written sources who utilize the power of agenda setting and framing to filter the news they share.

While the media did not tell you what to think specifically, it did influence what you thought about and how the information is framed does impact and influence your judgment of the topic. When you have a conversation with a friend on any given topic, it’s more likely than not you both have not only different opinions, but completely different sets of information. What we put in our minds does change how we experience the world and it shapes everything else too, from grocery shopping to friendships to politics.

This means we have to be intentional about the windows through which we view the world and how the things we consume shift that window. If you find yourself moving farther and farther away from the way Paul asks us to experience God’s creation, then maybe it is time to evaluate where and how you interact with it. If you find yourself most days more angry than appreciative, maybe take a break from the tv. If you find yourself less certain of what is true and righteous, maybe it’s time to intentionally recenter yourself in the reality of your lived experience. If you find yourself more exhausted than pleased, maybe it’s time to change the music station.

You have control of your experience and you have the power to choose different influences to help shape it. It’s your choice. But I would suggest, on either path, that you don’t give up dancing. It’s one of life’s purest joys.

Respond:

What are the major influences on your worldview? Sit down and make a list of what media you consume on a daily basis - and notice how you feel and experience the world differently after you consume it. Is there one particular influence which you might change in order to shift your outlook closer to what Paul asked you to appreciate?

Pray:

Moving God,

Sometimes in life we feel out of control and want to make a change. We buy new gadgets, try new systems, and rearrange our schedules in an effort to force the change into our hearts. Help just us to do the hard, inner work of change which comes from within first. Give us the blessing of the inward inspection where we seek, with honesty, the reorienting of our next steps. Amen.

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