My pastor encourages us to ask ourselves these questions, “Am I feeding my mind with beauty and truth? Am I becoming a more increasingly encouraging and life-giving person? Or one who is cynical and bitter?”
Tonight I watched the first three episodes of Mad Men season one. I had heard about the show from a number of people saying it was interesting and that it had won awards for costuming and correct representation of the 60’s. But the more I watched the more I felt my soul grieved by what I saw. Deception, pride, judgementalism, selfishness, vulgarity, baseness and manipulative behavior ran rampent. Husbands cheating on wives, secretaries flirting with married bosses, homemakers judging their neighbors, coworkers stealing ideas to get ahead, being willing to do anything to make money. These were the core themes of the show. These were the people you were supposed to connect and feel empathetic with enough to continue watching the season.
Things of beauty and truth were rare and far between. I knew that allowing this show to be a part of my life would eventually tempt my cynical and sarcastic side. It would dull my senses towards truth, morality and loving others. It would creep into my marriage and challenge our unity and commitment to godliness. In otherwords, this show would not fill my mind with beauty or remind me of God’s truth. So, I took it off our Netfilx queue and will not watch any more episodes, no matter how many people tell me about the props, costuming, or time period acuracy – the underlying whispers that would invade my heart are not worth it.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. - Col. 3:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. - Romans 12:1-2
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