Lion Food

Being a Christian isn’t always easy, is it? So much is trying to run us off track. Even little things. Satan is on the prowl to see how he can tempt us and mess things up for us. Scripture tells us he is like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Gulp! We constantly need to be on our toes and wearing our armor for protection. For Satan nothing is off limits. He uses friends, music, television, internet, and movies among a multitude of things and people to brainwash us into thinking bad is actually okay. More than okay, bad is good.

Denny and I spend a lot more time together watching tv shows and movies now that he is retired. It would be nice if we just watched things on the Christian stations but that never happens. Perhaps the devil has a remote to switch our channels, too. The regular, cable, and movie channels are far less than God glorifying.

A girlfriend and I were chatting about a movie we had both seen the previous night. Our husbands are like two peas in a pod, liking the same things and cannot watch tv without holding the remote tightly in their hand. That must be a guy thing. Is it? This movie though was an older chick flick about a disgruntled divorced man and a woman who was separated from her husband due to his infidelity. As the movie progressed so did a romance between them. The estranged husband repented and asked his wife’s forgiveness. He wanted to come home to her and their children. She was in the middle of a passionate affair and said no, supported by her best friend. What is wrong with this scenario?

My girlfriend and I wanted to cheer for the couple. The guy was a dream. Even her best friend was voting for him. He was good looking, a gentleman, complimented her, danced like they do only in the movies, and held her face as he gazed into her eyes and kissed her, the wife of another man. It was an affair we were watching and encouraging. Instead of being appalled we wanted to condone and celebrate adultery and fornication between the two movie characters. What was our problem? I would have a really big problem if some woman wanted to look longingly into my hubby’s eyes awaiting his kiss.

Then we discussed other movies and shows. How many of those have good examples and morals? Most all of them teach kids that lying is okay, shoplifting is fine, and they will go as far as to show them how. Young girls see sharing their bodies with anyone is no big deal. Marriage is not required before sex on television or movies so why should it be in real life? Outlaws who steal, kidnap, hurt innocents, and even murder become famous. They are protected and encouraged. Think about Butch and Sundance, Jesse and Frank James, or Bonnie and Clyde.

Where did your sympathy and loyalty go when watching movies about those couples above? Were you hoping for them to be caught and justice done? Or were you cheering for the liars, adulterers, fornicators, thieves, and murderers? Harsh words, I know, but true. Strip away the glitz and glamor and that’s what is left. Criminals and sinners.

I am certain that isn’t what God would want. Why would He want us to celebrate sin? What once was taboo is now perfectly fine because of seeing it on the screen or reading it in a book. This is influencing our kids. It’s okay to go on dates or sleep with someone else’s spouse. Sex doesn’t need the sanctification of marriage or God’s blessing. Couples should live together before marriage or at least go on romantic vacations. If you want something, take it. Breaking any one of the Ten Commandments isn’t serious. Oh my, how far we have gone from what God has commanded.

Perhaps it is time, past time, to stop watching those type of things or reading those types of books. Our children need to see examples of Christians living life the way God designed and commanded. They don’t need to watch rebelling against God and living by our own rules is okay. What should we use to decide what to watch? Good question. If you would be comfortable with Jesus watching the show beside you on the couch, it is a good show. Do what the Bible says and think on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. Teach your kids to concentrate on those, also. It is our job to influence our kids. Don’t feed them to the lion or be lion food yourself.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 NIV

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 NIV