Does it matter what I watch, play, or listen to-Part 3

In some previous posts I began the discussion about what does a Jesus-follower do about reading, watching, listening, or playing entertainment that is questionable to some people?

Here is a story to add to that conversation.  Remember, it's my story and how the Father worked in it.  That doesn't mean it should be your story.  Just let it add to your process as you work through these issues with your Father.


So, in high school I was hardcore into heavy metal.  It was the most rebellious music at the time and I loved it's hard-hitting style and powerful guitar riffs.  AC/DC was my number one love.  I saw them in concert during The Razor's Edge tour, owned all their albums, wore their T-shirts regularly, and even bought import records from Australia. 

Along comes my freshmen year in high school when I met Jesus personally for the first time in my life.  He changed me.  I suddenly hungered to live my life following Him. 

One day, after school, I donned my Highway to Hell AC/DC shirt, not even thinking about the implications.  There was an art teacher at LW at the time that had become a spiritual mother to me.  She happened to see me in the hallways and questioned me about the shirt.

"But it's the only one with Bon Scott, the original singer on it!" I replied.

She said back simply, "Shouldn't what's on the outside of you reflect what's on the inside?"

That phrase lingered in me and I began to question my musical choices.  I feel like the Spirit was challenging me to stop listening to secular (non-Christian) music.  I realized that music had a profound impact on me, my thinking, and my moods.  I wanted to just feed my spirit with music that would build up my newfound relationship to the Father.

So, I trashed, literally, all my AC/DC stuff.  Then I explored, for the first time ever, the world of Christian music and found stuff I really loved. 

Here's where I went wrong, though.  I began to argue with others that they too should stop listening

to secular music.  I got into many arguments about this. 

At the time, I did not recognize that the Father's directions for me, were not necessarily his directions for everyone else (like Romans 14 talks about). 

Over time, too, I realized that I could listen to some secular music without it affecting me negatively like it once did.  That came several years later.  So, God was working on something in my life and when He was done, He moved on.

Here's what I learned:
1. You have to be honest with yourself about how your entertainment choices influence you.  Put aside the excuses and face it.  Really think about it.  The answer may be: violent video games really don't make me act or think any differently at all.  Or it may be: violent video games actually churn up aggression in me and I find myself taking it out on my siblings.

Few of us what to be honest about the fact that stuff affects us.  But when you can get to that level of transparency, look and ask your Father about it.  Let Him have some time to communicate with you about what's best.

2. Accept what God is challenging you to as a part of  his process of growing you.  He wants the best for you and you have to trust his prescription.  Maybe He's encouraging you to stop doing something, not because it's bad in and of itself, but because it's just not good for your spirit right now.  On the other hand, maybe His direction is not to ditch this or that, but to add in somethings in your life that will build up your relationship to God.

3. Realize that certain limitations may only be for a season.  Films with sex scenes were not good for me for a long time.  I just didn't want to "go there" mentally.  Now, as a happily married man, those scenes are not bothersome to my wife and me.  We can recognize what's good and bad, just like we can when we read about sex or rape in the Bible, and it doesn't influence us negatively.  As a single guy, though, I needed to be much more careful.

4. Don't take your convictions and assume they are for everybody else.  He's their Shepherd too and they have to listen to His voice, not yours.

5. Trust me, you can live without somethings that you are convinced you couldn't never part with.  If your Father is really calling you to make a sacrifice, He will give you satisfaction greater than what that game, music, or movie could ever provide.  Trust Him enough to believe this.