I vividly remember a children’s talk at a church I attended. The speaker had brought in some old leftovers he’d found in his fridge, as well as some mouldy vegetables and some bananas, way past their prime. He combined them all in a large clear bowl, creating a most unappetising brownish sludge, and then suggested the children eat it. They declined of course. The speaker asked the children what would happen if they ate it. They all agreed that they would be sick, with one bold child adding, “…from both ends.” If we put garbage into our bodies, then the garbage is going to have to come out. It’s the same with our minds. If we feed our minds with garbage, then it is going to come out in our actions.

Garbage In – Garbage Out!

This phrase is often heard in Stage 3 as we dig into the theme of Head, Heart, Hands, Hooves. If we feed our heads and hearts with garbage, then garbage will come out in our actions and behaviour; our hands and hooves.

It is increasingly important to guard our hearts and minds from the bombardment of unappetising items that are offered to us through social media and television; falsehoods about body image, inappropriate language, selfish attitudes and ideals, and so on and so on…

God created us in His image. As followers of Jesus, we endeavour to take on His attributes; to become more like Him. The Bible speaks of our bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is a contradiction to feed the same body, that is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, with things that distract and steer us away from God.

Another phrase from my youth that carries the same message of Godly living and standing for Christ is this:

The first bible a person will read is your life.

How we live and behave testifies to the core of what we believe and who we believe in. So, if we are feeding ourselves on garbage, that is what will come out in our lives. If we surrender our hearts and our minds to God, then we will produce good and wholesome fruit.

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