The Mind
“You can’t stop a bird from flying overhead, but you can prevent it from building a nest in your hair.” You can tell from my author photo, that I’m no longer near the teenage years. However, this is a statement that I recall my Sunday School Teacher saying when I was a teenager. I’ve thought about it many times throughout my life. Our days, unlike my teenage years, are packed with news from unlimited technology sites. I probably don’t have to tell you that much of the information shared on these sites is completely false.
One quote I end up having to tell students every year is, “Don’t let them yank your chain!” There is always at least one student who gets a thrill by saying things to get other students angry and react in a way that gets them in trouble. Meanwhile the instigator stands back and laughs at their accomplishment. Believe it or not, my own children had to teach me the same lesson at home! I would read something online and get thoroughly angry. Then, I snapped back with a comment. I felt as if I could change the world’s thinking by my corrective responses. In truth, I was only getting my chain yanked while the media stood back and laughed at the attention they were getting.
Another quote I’ve used regularly in the classroom is, “In order to drag someone through the mud, you have to get dirty yourself.” I’ve learned that my responses don’t mean a hill of beans. They will not save or change the world. They only make me look bad. I’m better off to pray about the negativity I see and move on to the positive posts.
In short, you clean out your mind by realizing that you need to skip the negative posts. Don’t let them have a single moment of your peace. Pray and move on. The positive messages that you share will far outweigh the benefits for others and yourself!
Again, clean out your mind and don’t give others peace by sharing false statements. Why? Because, when negativity and lies are removed, the mind is free for Godly things…peace, joy, and love, to name a few!
May I suggest the best way to go about responding to the media? Travel back in time and pretend you are a teenager listening to your parents rant and rave. Remember how you used to tune them out? You became a pro at it, if I’m guessing correctly. As it turns out, that was down right useful practice!
Here’s what this media exercise looks like:
- View online
- Pray
- Tune out
- Praise, Congratulate, or Uplift
- Repeat
- You might want to consider the doctor’s oath of DO NO HARM!
Only the words you pray will actually change the world! That’s your main goal anyway, right?
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2
