Guard Your Heart
Amanda’s post yesterday got me to thinking about all the things we do in our lives that seem innocent enough, but in reality can lead us down a path of destruction. Now, having a cup of coffee or watching a little tv isn’t going to kill us, but the influences we allow in our lives (including those on tv) can be dangerous.
About five years ago, I was an avid Oprah watcher. I loved how she seemed to have less drama and more information on her shows than other talk shows and how she was always encouraging people to be a better version of themselves. (Now some people may get mad at me for writing this and quite frankly I was having a hard time deciding if I should open this can of worms, but my heart said I should.) I remember watching one particular episode where she was talking about writing in her gratitude journal and something she said caught me off guard. She started talking about God, whom she had always claimed to follow, differently… like he was just a force and how we could harness the power He had by being good people. She stopped talking about Jesus and started talking about a spirituality that was anything but Christian. This belief system she supported grew and grew and she started promoting this “church” on her show. I saw how so many women in our culture blindly followed her, even after knowing the Truth, because she simply was Oprah. I felt sick.
Our culture tends to glamourize anything that celebrities do and women in our society are the ones that do it. We are the ones that read the gossip magazines, that watch the gossip type shows… now I’m not suggesting that all of us do it, but we as women seem to be more vulnerable to this vice. All this to say, the Bible warns us in 2 Timothy 3:5b-7 to “turn away from such people! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” By our very nature and by the proddings of society we are vulnerable to be influenced negatively.
I write all this to say that we have to guard our hearts like never before (Proverbs 4:23) so that we can be godly examples to our children. Let your children see you reading the Bible, praying, doing things that edify. Don’t let the negative influences, even the ones that society deems as positive, impact your life so that your heart is no longer guarded. It’s easy to let your guard down when something seems to be good… even when it’s not. And by all means, guard the hearts of the beautiful gifts God has given you to raise. What you bring into your life, you bring into theirs also.
How are you doing your best to guard your heart and that of your children? What negative influences have you omitted from your life in order to guard yourself?
Photo courtesy of WolfSoul
Share the fun: Email + Del.icio.us + Digg + Technorati
I completely agree with your view on Oprah and thought I was the only one! Thank you for bringing this out to have others examine. Our society is one that is headed in the wrong direction, looking for answers in all the wrong places. God Bless You!
Susan, I just feel that we are too easily swayed by society’s “good influences” without weighing the consequences of following them. I feel that way about a lot of Bible teachers too… people just follow them and their teachings without question because they are popular. The Bible tells us to not accept words blindly but to examine for ourselves if it lines up with scripture. But the Oprah thing really gets to me!
Preach it, Christy! Totally do not like Oprah’s “spirituality.” You make some good points. There were a few TV shows that I tried to watch this Fall, but I decided they weren’t good for me to watch They aren’t “bad” shows, just not for me. I am also careful about the books I read too.
Oh… I definitely agree with books. I am such a picky reader and will only read books by Christian authors now. I can’t handle reading bad language or elicit scenes. It just sits in my head and I can’t get it out. Luckily for us with tv, we pretty much only watch HGTV and Food Network b/c it’s safe for the kids. LOL
Thanks for sharing your insights! Since my 2nd was born we have hardly watched TV… and I find I can spend the time in so many better ways! I also wanted to share this video with you all… I too, watched Oprah almost daily and started feeling uncomfortable with all her talk of this ‘inner spirit’… I was led to this video and after seeing it I have not watched her again. Let’s pray for those in the media– that God would convict them and open their eyes to see the truth!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA
Hi – I did a search for “my three year old is reading” and came across your site. TV is such a powerful tool, and if we don’t monitor what we watch, and what our family is watching, we can get drawn into all the “hype”.
Glad I stopped by…
Oprah has taken a definite slide towards the New Age movement. Her spiritual advisor that preaches ‘the law of attraction’ is a perfect fit with her belief patterns. Pray that ‘the eyes of her understanding will be opened’ to the truth.
I found your blog because Amanda visited my blog and left a comment. Glad to meet you, Christy! Please drop by for a visit too!
Thanks Donna… it’s just really frightening to see how people follow her because of who she is instead of what she teaches… they take it as truth b/c Oprah says it. We definitely need to pray for her and for all of those who watch her and think of her so highly.
I hear your point of view. I think everyone should achieve a relationship with God in anyway that works for them as long as they are creating it. It should not be based upon other peoples opinions, sacred writings, teachings, or rituals. Our relationships with God are personal and individual. I don’t think that because a t.v. personality says something it’s right, but it may not be completely wrong. I don’t judge Oprah’s relationship with God, I surely wouldn’t want her judging mine.
Blessed Be,
Mom in Boyland