As our teenage grandchild visited and we nonchalantly turned on the TV, I was reminded of some good advice from God’s book of wisdom, the book of Proverbs.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away all perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:23-27). I love how The Message ends the passage with “leave evil in the dust.”

Wikipedia defines perversion as “a form of human behavior which is far from what is considered to be orthodox or normal.”

Perversion is all around us these days. TV, movies, music, and the internet perpetuate a perverted view, much different from how God’s Word has directed us to live. Even antenna-only TV is rampant with inappropriate language, immorality, and violence.

These are not the things that should be entering our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts, nor those of the next generations.

Most think that watching a show with questionable values is harmless, but those words and images have entered the mind. And when we repeatedly participate in allowing junk in our head, that garbage influences and deceives our heart and mind.

It is our job to stay “on guard” and stand our ground. Make better choices. Strive at living a life of holiness and purity so that we can experience God’s promised blessings.

Let’s close with one more Proverb. “In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them” (22:5).

May we stand on guard, protecting and defending our hearts and minds as well as those around us.