Guarding the Mind: The Dangers of What You Allow Into Your Mind

Scripture is clear that what enters the mind shapes the heart and directs the life. Paul exhorts the Philippians, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is dignified, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, consider these things” (Philippians 4:8). The mind is not neutral ground. What we allow in, we eventually live out. Jesus Himself taught, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil, for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart” (Luke 6:45). Minds saturated with error, half-truths, or slander will inevitably produce speech and actions consistent with that poison.

This truth presses on us especially in an age where media saturates every moment. Headlines, broadcasts, and feeds are not neutral; they interpret, spin, and often distort reality. Proverbs warns us, “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him” (Proverbs 18:17). Yet many people receive the first story they hear as gospel, never pausing to discern. Sometimes media paints entire groups or individuals in a dark light, branding them as villains before facts are weighed. Reputations are crushed, families are harmed, and in some tragic cases, people even take matters into their own hands, acting in hostility against those who are innocent. Distorted stories can ignite rage in the hearts of hearers, and that rage, when left unchecked, often leads to violence.

We have seen this in Scripture and in our own time. In Acts 6:11–14, Stephen was falsely accused of speaking against Moses and God. Lies were spread, stirring up the people, and the result was his violent death by stoning. In Acts 16:19–24, Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison after false charges were shouted in the marketplace, inflaming the crowd. Even our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified because of fabricated accusations and twisted testimonies (Matthew 26:59–61). What began as false words ended in violence. Sadly, this same tragic pattern continues today.

Just days ago, the tragic death of Charlie Kirk shook many. It left his wife a widow and two children without a father. Whatever one thinks of his political views (as it matters not), it is undeniable that certain outlets and voices had long painted him in a distorted and hostile light. Some called him a Nazi. Some called him "full of hate". Some called him a "White Supremacist". He was not merely disagreed with, he was sometimes caricatured and vilified. When such narratives are repeated long enough, they begin to shape how people see another human being created in God’s image. For some, this distortion breeds contempt; for a few, it even stirs violent impulses. The result is devastating. Families are left broken, communities are torn apart, and the church is reminded once more of the destructive power of lies when allowed to lodge in the human heart.

Christians are called to be people of truth. Our Lord declared, “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). To be careless with what enters our minds is to invite a worldview that bends away from God’s Word and toward cultural lies. Consider how easily a constant diet of cynicism, outrage, and character assassination can shape us. James reminds us, “The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). Yet many have consumed so much distorted media that their reflex is suspicion, hostility, and condemnation. Instead of reflecting the patience, justice, and love of Christ, they mirror the fear and bitterness of the world. And when this bitterness festers, it does not remain internal—words become actions, suspicion becomes aggression, and sometimes entire communities are shaken by violence sparked by falsehood.

Therefore, we must actively guard the gates of our minds. Paul’s counsel to the Corinthians was to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). That means discerning what voices we allow to shape our thinking, testing them against Scripture, and refusing to let untruth lodge in our hearts. The Bereans in Acts 17:11 were commended not because they were gullible, but because they examined everything “to see whether these things were so.” That must be our model. To be uncritical hearers of media, gossip, or slander is to fail in discipleship.

Application for us is urgent. Before we share, repeat, or act on something we hear or read, we must ask: Does this align with truth? Is it verifiable? Does it encourage love of neighbor and obedience to Christ, or does it feed suspicion, division, or malice? If the fruit of what we are consuming is fear, anger, hostility, and even violent thoughts, we must step back and consider whether we are allowing darkness into our minds. Romans 12:2 calls us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, not conformed to the patterns of this world. That means choosing God’s Word as our primary influence, not the shifting winds of media narratives.

If we are not vigilant, we risk letting lies dictate our loves, slander shape our speech, and rage spill into violence. But if we fill our minds with what is true, noble, and pure, then the Spirit of God will form us to respond in grace, wisdom, and righteousness. In a world where voices compete to control our minds, the call of Scripture is to submit every thought, every headline, every influence to the lordship of Christ. Only then will our lives bear the fruit of truth and holiness.

Written with assistance of ChatGPT for spelling, grammar, etc.