You’re Watching That? - I Do Every Day - December 28

You’re Watching That?
By Carlos Santiago

I walked into the room and was immediately annoyed by what I saw on the TV.

“You’re watching that?” I asked with a heavy sigh.

“Don’t worry,” my wife said. “I’m fast-forwarding all the bad parts.”

I walked back out of the room and wondered if this was a losing battle. It’s not that we have significant disagreements over the kind of shows we should be watching, but because society seems to be traveling at warp speed in the opposite direction, the lines can get blurred on what we shouldn’t watch.

Christians are called to be salt to the world (Matthew 5:13). Salt always has an impact on its environment. Salt on meat prevents decay, salt on ice creates a thaw, and salt on food enhances its flavor. But too often, instead of us changing the world, the world changes us one small compromise at a time.

While we can’t live our lives in total seclusion, the shows we watch affect us. Even if we fast forward through the sexual immorality, violence, and foul language, the damage is done. Not only do we become desensitized to it, but as long as we keep watching, content producers will keep pushing the limits.

But what do we do if a husband and wife can’t agree on what shows should be allowed in the house? Nag? Tape condemning scriptures to the TV? Leave articles on the kitchen table touting our point of view?

As tempting as those techniques might be, sometimes the best thing to do is to calmly state your case, then remove yourself from the equation and let the Holy Spirit do His work. It takes patience. God usually doesn’t work on our timetable, but He’s much better at changing people’s minds than we are.

A few weeks later, I heard frustration mounting from the other room. I walked in to find my wife arguing with the TV.

“Why do they have to? Come on! Really? Ugh! That’s it. I can’t watch this show anymore.”

I don’t know what the “final straw” was, but I didn’t need to. I knew the Holy Spirit was at work.

Listen to hear more about how media influences not just the culture, but individuals as well.

The Good Stuff: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

Action Steps: Are you and your spouse on the same page when it comes to “entertainment” standards in your home? How do you typically address differences?

What would it look like for you to let the Holy Spirit do the work of convicting your spouse?

What small decisions can you make to ensure that your mind is being conformed to the image of Christ and not the image of the world?