Our late night forms of entertainment stick with us long after the final credits roll, the final page is turned or the last notes of a song fade. They invade our thoughts in the daylight hours and fill our minds with the content we had indulged in. The seemingly insignificant movies, books, and music we consume actually have a profound impact on us and our relationship with God.
The apostle Paul knew that. In Philippians 4:8 he writes, “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.”
Why? Because Paul knew how easy it was for us to be swayed by media that did not fulfill those standards. He knew that the things we devote our time to in our movements of free time have a powerful ability to bring us close to God and living a Godly lifestyle or drag us far away from Him.
So the next time you are choosing something to entertain you, ask yourself if it fulfills the standards in Philippians 4:8. You can ask yourself these questions to help you!
Whatever is True…
- Is it factually accurate or is it riddled with false or misleading statements?
- Does it help create an informed discussion or does it add fuel to the fire of hurt and anger?
Whatever is Noble…
- Does it glorify the King? Or does it seek to tear Him and His kingdom down?
Whatever is Right…
- Does it align itself with what the Bible says is right? Or does it espouse twisted theology?
Whatever is Pure…
- Is it appropriate?
- Is there an abundance of sexual content, violence, or profanity?
Whatever is Lovely…
- Is it cheerful or is it dark?
- Do you feel a sense of unease or peace when you watch, read, or listen to it?
Whatever is Admirable…
- Does it enhance or taint your witness?
- Will it lead others to Christ?
- Will people see you and see God through you or will they question your faith because you act just like the rest of the broken people in the world?
Excellent or Praiseworthy…
- Does it lead you down the right path?
- Does it bring you closer to God or further from Him?
Let’s challenge ourselves to live by these standards in the media that we consume and in the way that we live our lives. Let’s make sure that the movies, books, and music we enjoy are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.
Share this with your friends – let’s do it together! Keep one another accountable and encourage each other because it is HARD to live by these standards! Let me know what you find that fits these standards and any methods you have for glorifying God through the movies you watch, the books you read, and the music you hear!
Emily Baer 
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