Change doesn’t always feel good, but sometimes it’s necessary.
Kate and I recently “discovered” a TV show called 30 Rock. I have to be honest, it’s pretty funny. It’s a comedy about a NBC TV show and its producers, writers, actors, and other staff. The humor is a bit over the top at times, but that’s pretty much what makes it funny, and we’ve watched several episodes. So there’s a context for you…
Through my recent reading of a book called “Worldliness” with a guys discipleship group I’m a part of, God has been gracious to change my thinking regarding some things. Most notable for me has been the section regarding “What They Say”. Ephesians 5 makes it very clear that there should be “no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude jesting, which are out of place…” (vs. 4). Filthiness is simply referring to any kind of vulgar, lewd, perverted, or off color speech and is “out of place” in the life of a believer. Foolish talk either mocks or blatantly ignores God and his law. Crude joking refers to any kind of humor with sexual overtones; this could be in the form of perverse humor of some kind or just a dirty joke. Each of these things has no place in the life of a believer (assuming of course that believer acknowledges and believes Ephesians 5 is part of God’s revealed Word). The thought that caught my attention is the logical conclusion following this truth: “If we’re forbidden to speak with filthiness and crude sexual humor, we’re equally prohibited from listening to it when we have a choice.” The point is this – if we’re consciously deliberately putting ourselves in a position to be entertained by such speech, we are “out of place.” Commonly heard about a TV show or movie is this: “There’s no sex, there’s just some crude humor.” The reason that participating actively or allowing ourselves to be entertained by such speech is forbidden in Ephesians 5 is because it’s reflective of a heart and attitude characterized by the world, one that disregards God and His Word.
So, when I read this section in my book, and in turn meditated on this passage in Ephesians 5, I was struck with the fact that I had a decision to make right then and there. In this 30 Rock show we’ve been watching, there has been no shortage of dirty jokes, crude sexual humor, or in general lewd vulgar humor, and it’s been somewhat of a predominant comic feature in the show. So, I knew I was either going to decide to not watch it anymore, or ignore what God’s Word was telling me to do. I was also fully aware that this show would not be the only entertainment option that would be affected by this decision. But, here’s the depressing part – I hesitated. I actually wasn’t sure if I wanted to do this. But then, the exciting part – the Holy Spirit was gracious in reminding me of my need to seek God’s glory in everything I do, and that glorifying Christ with my life is a much greater cause than some temporal foolish TV show. If God has revealed in His Word that this kind of speech has no place in the life of a believer, and I call myself a disciple of Jesus Christ, there should be no hesitation but to eliminate it.
This principle of course applies elsewhere in life, but the immediate application for me was media intake that has in it this kind of forbidden speech. That could include movies, TV shows, Youtube, or other internet entertainment sites that have as a dominant feature or characteristic this kind of forbidden speech. Sometimes a movie or TV show has moments of off color humor, and we’re unaware of it coming, but when we are consciously deliberately on purpose allowing ourselves to be entertained by it, there the problem arises. So it’s one thing to unintentionally hear something and be discerning and mature about it, yet quite another to know that a particular show or movie has consistent or repeated off color humor as its dominant feature and consciously choose to turn it on to be entertained and influenced by it. When a moment of decision like this comes, it’s easy to be tempted to think, “But it would be such a huge sacrifice to get rid of _____ in my life!” (insert TV shows like 30 Rock, Friends, or movies like The Hangover, etc) but such a thought is reflective of a heart that is valuing something higher than Christ and His glory.
The good news is that the gospel gives power to God’s children to live life for His glory, and not for themselves. While I may sinfully resist responding to the truth of God’s Word at first, God doesn’t leave us to ourselves, but is gracious to convict us of our sin and through His Spirit give us the ability to turn from sin and live for Him.
Change is good.
