Daily Devotion: Wisdom and Courage

Bible Reading: I Peter 1:1-16

Key Verse: Verse 13 – “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;"

Key Words: Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind.

Some years ago our girls sat innocently in the living room watching Saturday morning cartoons, as they did most Saturday mornings until they had used all their TV time up for the day. Yes, we had time limits for watching TV! Then they would slip off to do their chores, and play their childish games – typical five and six year-old girls. This Saturday was to be different, however. This Saturday was the Saturday that would change my thinking on innocent cartoons forever. Saturday afternoon we headed out for an afternoon of shopping and spending some time together as a family. Then it happened that one of our little ones said, “Look, there’s the pig” pointing to a policeman who had just passed us. Not believing what I had heard, I asked my daughter to repeat what she had just said. Unhesitatingly she said, “I said there is the pig.” I quickly corrected her and then inquired as to why she would call a policeman a pig. Her answer got my attention, “On cartoons this morning the pigs were the policemen so when I saw the officer, I thought about the pigs.” It was then the old saying really stuck, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Much of the rebellion, bad attitudes, wantonness, and sheer obnoxiousness is coming from children’s TV shows. Every parent would do well to sit down and view what their children are watching (without their children being present) and as you do, ask yourself these questions.

• Is this how I want my child to behave?
• Is this what I want my child to say?
• Is this what I want my child to be?
• Is this what I want my child to desire?
• Does this glorify God? I Corinthians 10:31.

As a child, I remember Grandma Tate (my Sunday School teacher) teaching us the chorus, “Be careful little eyes what you see; be careful little eyes what you see, For the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little eyes what you see.” How true these words are! We are warned in God’s Word to protect the mind.

• Romans 8:7a, “Because the carnal mind is enmity with God.”
• Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
• I Peter 1:13a, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind.”

May God grant you the wisdom to see the truth and the courage to act upon it.

What to do:
✞ Ask and answer the five questions listed above – then act accordingly.

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