A lot of days I find myself sifting through the “High Voltage” mail trying to decide which letters to put in Breakaway. Tough choice. One guy wants the scoop on Switchfoot. Another wishes I would write more about heavy metal bands. And this other dude says he needs Krystal Meyers’ home phone number. Whooooooa! Never a dull letter from you guys!
I really like answering your questions about specific artists, albums and movies in “High Voltage,” but I’d like to take a little time to address a bigger issue. So, instead of analyzing music or the latest blockbuster, let’s step back and look at why godly guys need to make smart entertainment choices.
Sometimes you’ll see the phrase “Learn to Discern” on these pages. But what exactly is discernment?
Discernment is wisdom that helps us choose between right and wrong. Is it important? Let’s just say you need it as much as you need a steering wheel and brakes in your car. Turn here. Stop there. We’re constantly faced with decisions. Wouldn’t it be cool to know you’re making the right ones? King Solomon thought so. He valued discernment so much that he asked God for it instead of riches, a long life or the destruction of his enemies (1 Kings 3:9-12).
But spiritual insight doesn’t just ooze into us while we sleep. For starters, we need to pray and read the Bible. Attending a youth group and going to church help, too. After all, how can we have godly wisdom if we don’t know God on an intimate level?
But why is it so important to gain spiritual discernment in the realm of entertainment? Why can’t we listen to sexual music that demeans women or watch violent movies full of profanity if we feel like it? That stuff can’t affect our relationship with God, right? WRONG.
God wants to be honored in every area of our lives. So we need the ability to sort through media messages, get to the heart of them and decide how they measure up to God’s standards. Are Diddy’s lyrics consistent with biblical truth? Does the current best-selling video game violate Philippians 4:8? Would Jesus find the new Jim Carrey movie healthy or harmful? Developing discernment and knowing what to avoid entirely is essential for spiritual maturity. I’ll explain why with a tale of two iguanas.
With Liberty and Justice for All
Several years back I adopted two baby iguanas named Liberty and Justice. They were the same age and size. They ran around the same 55-gallon aquarium, soaked in warmth from the same hot rock and bellied up to the same water dish. In short, Liberty and Justice shared an identical environment. There was just one difference in their lifestyles: diet.
Liberty scarfed down fruit, veggies and crickets. Justice, on the other hand, was a really picky eater without much of an appetite. Consequently, Liberty grew bigger and stronger—really buff. But lacking proper nutrition, Justice got thinner and took on a paler shade of green. When they went head-to-head, whom do you think won? You guessed it. Eventually, Justice’s poor diet led to her death, leaving one healthy reptile to rule the aquarium.
What does a dead lizard have to do with discernment? Glad you asked! It illustrates the inner conflict Christians face every day as we try to follow Jesus. Inside, we’ve got two natures: the flesh and the spirit (Ephesians 2:1-3, Galatians 5:16-17, John 3:6). They share the same environment. Same body. Identical eyes, ears and other senses. And like reptilian roommates, these two natures become territorial. They fight for control. Each wants to rule the “aquarium” of our hearts and minds. The one that eats best will be the one that survives.
Of course, the flesh and spirit hunger for different things. The flesh has an appetite for junk food—anything from crude sitcoms and sexual comic books to gory video games and slasher flicks. But the spirit feeds on Bible study, prayer, hanging out with godly people and serving others. Romans 13:14 encourages us to deny our sinful natures, and Galatians 5:22 details the benefits of a healthy diet.
There’s a war inside us. As one nature prospers and dominates, the other one, deprived of food, withers. It’s the way we’re designed. You can’t beat the odds. Feed the spirit, starve the flesh. Feed the flesh, starve the spirit. God warns us to be discerning, because He knows how we’re wired and wants the best for us. Not only is discernment in our best interest, it also pleases God when we put Him first. Which hungry nature are you feeding, the flesh or the spirit? Which do you want dominating the “aquarium” of your life? One will. Which one is up to you. 
