Our health depends on wise nutrition. The food we eat is assimilated into our bodies and becomes our nails, skin cells, and blood. In the same way, we are actually becoming—emotionally and spiritually—what we put into our minds. Proverbs 23:7 is the biblical version of you are what you eat. It says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
What we read and view has a determining effect on us, and what our children are taking into their minds will determine what they become. Many children and adults have a high-fat mental diet that’s heavy in “screen time.”
It’s easy for any of us to “catch” the philosophy of the world by what we’re reading, watching, or hearing. But the Bible says, “Whatever things are true . . . noble . . . just . . . pure . . . lovely . . . of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
People who feed their minds with lots of entertainment develop lazy minds. When we watch too many movies and too much television, we’re letting other people do our thinking for us. Those who feed their minds on a steady diet of celebrity magazines can become shallow. People who feed their minds on p*rnography become sexually immoral in their thoughts and behavior.
But what of those who feed their minds on quality literature, solid educational materials, truly relevant information, and regular Bible study? They become wise and sought-after leaders. Romans 8:5 says, “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
The secret of a healthy mind is the retention and meditation of Scripture. In his book Your Inner You, Pastor Leslie Flynn tells about Dr. Oscar Lowry, author of the book Scripture Memorizing for Successful Soul-Winning. Lowry entered Christian service as a young man with an undisciplined mind. Thinking he could not memorize Scripture, he filled the flyleaf of his Bible with references useful for counseling and evangelism, but it proved awkward to stop his conversations long enough to track down the right verse. Finally he determined to succeed at Scripture memory.
He rose early and chose a seemingly difficult passage, Romans 10:9-10. He paced the room, saying to himself, “I will do this thing.” He struggled with this passage for half an hour, but finally succeeded in memorizing it completely. The next morning, he reviewed and reinforced those verses in his memory, then added a new one. He kept reviewing his chosen passages and adding new ones until it dawned on him one day that he could repeat 100 verses without looking in his Bible.
By the end of his life, he had learned over 20,000 verses, and he could locate each by chapter and verse without his Bible. No wonder his Christian life was full of joy, his mind full of wisdom, and his evangelistic efforts full of success.[1]
What if I came to your house today, knocked on your door, walked into your kitchen, and opened the door of your mind? What if I could peer into your brain? In a sense, I could do that by noticing the materials on the coffee table, the channels showing on the television, the DVDs scattered near the entertainment system, the books beside your bed, or the magazines under it. By observing how you fed your mind, I’d know a lot about your spiritual health.
Someone once said, “You are not what you think you are; but what you think, you are.” Let’s clean out the mental fridge and start stocking it with nourishment that befits those with the mind of Christ.
Take Thou our minds, dear Lord, we humbly pray,
Give us the mind of Christ each passing day;
Teach us to know the truth that sets us free;
Grant us in all our thoughts to honor Thee.
—William Foulkes, 1918
[1] Adapted from Leslie B. Flynn, Your Inner You (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1984), 60.
You know, the concepts discussed in that article resonate with my passion for the impact of information on our well-being. It's not just about the body; the mind plays a crucial role too. Now, about those concepts:
-
Nutrition Analogy: The article draws a parallel between physical nutrition and mental assimilation. The idea that what we consume mentally shapes our emotional and spiritual well-being is spot on. It's like saying our mental diet is as important as our physical one.
-
Proverbs 23:7 - "As he thinks in his heart, so is he": The biblical reference emphasizes the power of thoughts in shaping one's character and being. It aligns with the idea that our mental state reflects our internal reality.
-
Philippians 4:8 - "Meditate on these things": This biblical passage advocates for a mindful selection of what we expose our minds to. It's a call to focus on positive, virtuous, and praiseworthy thoughts, akin to choosing a wholesome mental diet.
-
Impact of Media on Mind: The article warns against the potential negative effects of excessive screen time, shallow content, and unhealthy mental consumption. It's a cautionary note about being mindful of what we let into our minds through various media.
-
Development of Mind through Quality Input: The article suggests that the quality of what we feed our minds determines our mental sharpness. Just like a balanced diet is crucial for physical health, a varied and nourishing mental diet contributes to wisdom and leadership.
-
Role of Scripture in Mental Health: The emphasis on Scripture memorization and meditation aligns with the belief that anchoring one's mind in positive, spiritual truths contributes to a healthy and joyful mental state.
-
Example of Dr. Oscar Lowry: The story of Dr. Oscar Lowry illustrates the transformative power of intentional mental nourishment. His journey from an undisciplined mind to memorizing over 20,000 verses showcases the potential for growth through focused mental efforts.
-
Metaphor of the "Mental Fridge": The analogy of the mental fridge being stocked with nourishing thoughts encourages the reader to reflect on the quality of mental input, urging a conscious effort to maintain a healthy mental space.
In essence, the article promotes the idea that just as we are mindful of what we eat for our physical health, we should be equally discerning about what we feed our minds for our mental and spiritual well-being.
