What Goes In...

I'm sure we've all heard the phrase "what goes in is what comes out." And it's true: what we see and hear has an effect on how we live, more than you may realize. Especially when it comes to media, and in particular, music....

Music, as with everything else we know, originated with the Creator. God created everything in the world, even the abstract things like music, science, art, etc. The first music was probably the praises of the angels as they worshiped God in heaven. And if that's why music was originally created, it's no wonder why music can have such a deep effect on us humans, who were built to worship God.

It's with this in mind that we have to think about the kind of music we listen to. The lyrics to songs can be incredibly powerful because they're put to music, and they get stuck in your mind easily. The more you listen, the more they affect you, and the more you start to live like the songs you listen to. What goes in is what comes out.

Right now, there's a lot of songs out there in the secular music culture that talk blatantly about sex, drugs, and other things, all accompanied by similarly laced music videos. Most Christians see it and instantly go, "No way!" and instead opt for something more tame in it's approach, although still secular. Is it wrong to listen to secular music? Not in itself, no. But if the lyrics affect you negatively, or speak of anything God wouldn't approve of, then I would say at that point it's wrong. In some cases, this can be dependent on the listener. If it's not offensive to God and not to you, then you're OK. But some topics that aren't necessarily wrong can be offensive to a listener, and in those cases it's a personal decision to avoid it because of conscience.

When deciding to listen to music (or do anything else), make sure it passes the Philippians 4:8 test.

"...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise — dwell on these things."

If what you're listening to doesn't fit that description, don't listen to it. In doing so you're only filling your mind and your heart with things that are against God's will for you. That verse talks about what God wants in your life, and by disregarding it, you're disregarding His wishes.

I know of a few people who might be offended by this next bit, but please hear me out. And parents, please look into this and consider what you're allowing your children to listen to. Think of what Philippians 4:8 says, and then go read these reviews from Plugged-In about two different One Direction (1D) albums: Take Me Home, and Midnight Memories. Do they pass the test? No.

There are a few girls I know on Google+ and Facebook that adore One Direction. In fact, a good chuck of their social media posts are always related to One Direction. It's sad for me to watch them get pulled away like this. These guys are singing about things that our culture may want, but it's far off the mark of what God wants for them. I know it's hard for them, because God has created women to be super sensitive to the spoken word. And as they hear these songs, their hearts are pulled so easily to adore the guys in the band.

Girls, if you're reading this and you listen to 1D, please take time to pray about this. Truly consider what the Bible says in Philippians 4:8 and compare it to these lyrics. See if they match up, and ask God to help you see the truth and follow it. Parents, take a look at your child's music library (and perhaps your own). See if the tracks you have pass the 4:8 test.

It's hard to change. It's difficult to live according to God's Word. But we don't have to do it alone! Ask God to help you live His way! Ask Him to help you use the 4:8 test to keep your life pure! And as you do, watch for the changes to appear in your life. Because as more junk gets filtered out of your life, less junk will be coming out of your mouth, showing in your actions, and popping up in your thoughts. If pure stuff goes in, pure stuff comes out.

Godspeed!

- Jason

PS - Personally, I listen to a lot of instrumental music, and that definitely helps keep any negative lyrics out of the mix.