G.I.G.O.

GIGO stands for garbage in, garbage out which simply means faulty or poor input will produce faulty or poor output.

Whatever you allow to fill your mind or heart will determine what comes out if you.

If you allow thoughts of hatred to fill your mind your actions are likely to be hate-filled. Many a shooting or a bombing has occurred because the perpetrators harbored hate in their hearts for their victims.

I was watching one of the local news stations a few days ago and they just spewed out bad news after bad news that after a while, I turned off the TV. I hardly watch TV shows these days because the values espoused in most of them are at variance with my Christian values.

It is important that as Christians we watch what we feed our minds and heart. A consistent diet of filth will produce nothing good in us. Years ago I stopped watching some favorite TV shows of mine because I realized they added no value to my life or edified me in any other way; most importantly they did not help in my growth as a Christian. I noticed that instead of spending my free time mediating on the word of God and musing on His goodness, staying tuned-in to the Holy Ghost for direction, I would be thinking of the TV shows. I would be wondering whether Jack and Jill will have an affair, whether Jane and John will be caught in bed by Jane’s husband in the next episode!!! In fact there were a few times the TV show characters invaded my dreams. Imagine!!

Job 33:15-16 says God speaks to us in the visions of the night (dreams), yet in allowing garbage in, my dreams were even being tainted. There were times when in my dreams I would find myself interacting with the characters of my favorite shows! Think of the missed opportunities to interact with God in a “Solomomic” encounter. (1 Kings 3).

Paul makes it easy for us by telling us the things we should fill our hearts and thoughts with. In his final exhortations to the Phillipians he says, “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. Proverbs 4:23 adds, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Determine to consciously guard your thoughts today and always. Let us be intentional about what we let in.

Blessings.

Love, Lady Monica