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July 19, 2008
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
How Much Dirt?, by Russ Lawson
How much dirt does it take to make something "Dirty"? Or perhaps I need
to ask, "How dirty does something have to be before you notice it?" Now
I realize that if you are talking about regular dirt most guys see it
differently than do women. But what about this example:
Hygiene is in the eye of the beholder, I've decided. One lunch time
I watched the woman in the sandwich shop spreading mayonnaise on my
bread, and noticed part of her grubby work shirt was dragging
across it. "Excuse me," I ventured, "your sleeve is in the mayo."
"No problem," she reassured me. "I need to wash it anyway." (Via
Belief Net, submitted by Natalie Walker)
"Yuck!" we might think, "that's terrible." Or respond this way: "I
would tell her to make me a new sandwich, I'd sure never eat that one!"
So, just how much dirt makes something dirty?
How much must something be contaminated before you reject it?
We know that our government allows for a certain amount of impurities
to be found in most of the foods sold at the market, yet we still
purchase them. We have learned to overlook those things by thinking,
"They aren't enough to hurt us or the government would have prevented
them from being sold."
Well, how much is too much?
Of course we can make this application to areas of our life other than
just food, can't we? Our televisions and movies are allowed to show
certain things that would have been rejected in the past, yet they are
considered acceptable to those in authority. Language we reject in our
daily life comes into our homes and our minds through what is presented
as "entertainment."
Did you know you can decide what you allow into your life? Our modern
technology has made it possible to know the type of things which are
contained in almost any form of "entertainment" in advance. There are a
large number of television programs and movies which come and go and my
wife and I never watch them. Why? Because we have decided we don't want
filth being dragged through our minds. Each of us even has the ability
to turn channels or shut the thing off, but will we? Will you?
A couple of years ago, someone recommended a movie to my wife and me.
We did not check it out, but just went to see the movie. We stayed for
the first five minutes and got up and walked out. Yes, we had paid for
the ticket, but we refuse to allow ourselves to be subjected to filth
if we have a choice.
Lots and lots of things are being presented in our world right now as
being "OK" or "acceptable" when they really are not acceptable. People
are making and presenting to others "life and lifestyle choices" which
are ungodly.
So what is the solution?
So how much filth does it take to make something filthy?
How much filth is acceptable in your life?
Notice what God says through the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:21-23 about
some folks who thought that "just a little" filth wouldn't hurt them:
They know God, but they do not give him the honor that belongs to
him, nor do they thank him. Instead, their thoughts have become
complete nonsense, and their empty minds are filled with darkness.
They say they are wise, but they are fools; instead of worshiping
the immortal God, they worship images made to look like mortals or
birds or animals or reptiles. And so God has given those people
over to do the filthy things their hearts desire, and they do
shameful things with each other (Romans 1:21-23 GNB).
So, what is the solution? Jesus brother, James, tells us, "So get rid
of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept
the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you" (James
1:21 GNB).
How do you want your sandwich ... or your life? Is having a filthy
sleeve drug through it acceptable or not? Is having just a little filth
drug through your TV room or reading acceptable or not?
You see, ultimately, it doesn't matter what anyone says is acceptable,
except God. Paul gives what is perhaps the best instruction on this
matter, as he focuses on the positive and not the filth: For the rest,
my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things have honor,
whatever things are upright, whatever things are holy, whatever things
are beautiful, whatever things are of value, if there is any virtue and
if there is any praise, center your thoughts on these things (Philippians
4:8).
---------
(c) 2008 Russ Lawson <rlawson@wclo.net>, Messages from the Heart
<http://www.mfth.net/aboutus.html>. All rights reserved.
RELATED LINKS:
* Get Rid of It!
http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=19980715
* Spiritual Immunity
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200107/20010713_family1163.html
* Men and the Struggle for Purity
http://www.heartlight.org/justformen/jfm_980311_purity.html
* Messages from the Heart
http://www.mfth.net/aboutus.html
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200807/20080719_howmuchdirt.html
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