Did You Hear...?

Several years ago I witnessed a shooting…on the six o’clock news on television. I stood in shock. It was not due to a lack of awareness of violence, but that it was televised. Not only that, it was aired at an early evening hour.

Perhaps the airing of the shooting is a bold commentary on the impulses of man’s nature. It is not enough to hear about crime, people want to see it. Our television shows and motion pictures no longer make reference to violence, immoral sex, and other evils; they no longer simply suggest what happened; nothing is left to the imagination. For many that is still not enough. They want to participate and will not be satisfied otherwise.

As Christians we would never participate in acts of evil. However, are we participating through literature and other entertainment choices?

I would not expect agreement on which shows, movies, or books should be avoided, but surely we are all cautious to not go overboard. We stay away from the really bad stuff.

So, where do we draw the line?

Consider the Apostle Paul’s instruction for the Christians at Ephesus regarding evil:

And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

—Ephesians 5:11-12

Do your conversations sometimes revolve around the violence in the world, the sexual immorality on TV or at the movies. Have we gotten so accustomed to the evil around us that we know the language? Are we educating ourselves in the unfruitful deeds of darkness?

There are no valid rationalizations, such as:

• “It’s in the news.”
• “Everybody’s watching it.”
• “I would never do anything like that.”
• “I do think it is wrong; I don’t encourage it.”
• “My mind filters out the bad parts.”
• “I’m going to be exposed to it anyway.”

Paul’s words stand in bold contrast to these rationalizations: “It is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.” He is saying that Christians have no business chatting about evil.

How do we make good conversation and entertainment choices? The “kid test” might be a practical guide. Let me explain: If kids are talking about inappropriate things, they will stop when an adult enters the room. So...If you would stop or change your conversation because someone entered the room (parents, church friends, kids) it might not be a proper topic in the first place! (This doesn’t cover every topic/situation, but it’s a worthy guide.)

In the same letter, Paul encouraged Christians to speak “to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…” (v 19). That is in stark contrast to disgraceful conversations about evil!

We are well aware that evil exists in the world, even in our communities. The Bible warns about evil. However, we do not need to be educated in evil, and we do not need to make evil the centerpiece of any of our conversations.

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

—Ephesians 5:15

Mark Stinnett

May 26, 2024