What We See Is What We Think

“Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” (Titus 1:15 AV)

 

Isn’t this the truth?!?  Our state of mind goes a long way in our perceptions of things.  To the unbelieving, they can defile even the most righteous thing.  We see this in present-day comedy all the time.  What was once ridiculed because it was wrong is not extolled while what was sacred becomes fodder for simple minds bent on hatred of God.  The airwaves are filled with the filth of the world while at the same time they mock what is godly and holy.  This began with my generation.  In the time of early television, studios went out of their way to establish moral standards.  Bedrooms of married people we always depicted with two separate twin beds rather than one queen or a king-size bed.  There was a consciousness regarding social appropriateness.  One of the shows we enjoy watching is a detective show set in the mid to late 1800s. It is common for the screenwriters to portray social appropriateness common at the time.  Unmarried men and women would not socialize unattended.  Certain behavior that would be common to see today was shunned and described as boorish.  Once color entered the picture (no pun intended), things changed.  The envelope was pushed.  Still, comedy had more to do with everyday life than moral decadence or mockery of God and His people.  Today, comedy almost exclusively deals with mockery of God, country, and morality.  This is the way of the world.

However, we are looking at this verse more as it applies to the saint.  If we are not careful, we can begin to think like the world and only see a darker and filthier side of things rather than a holy way of looking at things.  I will give you an example.  Imagine you are sitting in a restaurant and you notice two people sitting at a table and rather than across from one another, they are sitting at adjoining sides of the table.  You notice they are of the same gender.  They are enjoying one another’s company.  They do not seem similar in looks so it is assumed they are not directly related.  What are we going to assume?  What is the impression we are struck with?  Are we going to attempt handing them a tract, or are we going to assume because we think we know the nature of their relationship they would not be inclined to receive such a gesture?  Do we shake our heads?  Do we speak under our breath with our guest(s) having a remotely held investigation to get a consensus on the nature of this couple’s relationship?  We look a little closer.  What is their demeanor?  How do they physically respond to one another?  We are inclined to believe a certain truth not yet in evidence and refuse to entertain another possibility.  Maybe they are siblings.  Maybe they are related by marriage and not to one another.  Maybe they are old high school friends.  Maybe they are business partners.  Maybe they are hard of hearing and do not like to sit so far apart.  Maybe the traffic pattern of the floor caused them to seat themselves as they did rather than a more nefarious reason.  I know.  We live in a world that makes us think a certain way.  But to the pure, they will assume the best.  To the defiled of mind, they will assume the worst.

We can take something God meant for good and turn it into sin without much of a thought.  We can take alcohol which God intended for medicine and turn it into a social drink causing untold damage to millions of lives.  We can take a computer which can be used for quicker and more efficient research and turn it into a venue for filth.  We can take a phone which is a wonder for instant communication and use it for wasting time and emotional energy.  We can take a musical instrument and play it in such a way as it glorifies the flesh more than God.  We know these things and avoid them.  But how much do we avoid the same type of temptations with the mind?  We may not watch wickedness on the TV, but we will falsely assume the worst of someone or something.  We may not indulge in too much bad food, but we will take a cynic’s view of another’s motives and not give them the benefit of the doubt.  People are not our enemy.  The devil is.  People are souls for whom Christ died.  To assume the darkest side of everything and everyone is not the measure of a pure heart.  Just the opposite.