All my life I have been aware of the saying: “Hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil.” I remember the cartoon of three monkeys demonstrating this saying. The first monkey had his hands over his ears. The second monkey would have his hands over his eyes and the third monkey had his hands over his mouth. Many of you have seen this depiction because it was a powerful teaching tool to the children.

Today, there is something that we all need to reconsider. There is a lot of unrest in our government and it is being passed along to us. When our leaders continue in something long enough, we tend to accept it whether it is truth or fiction. The division that is in them is transferred to us; the citizens.

What we hear enters into our mind. Some of those things are subliminal and we do not comprehend them at the time, but they are still planted. What takes root in our minds creates our world.

Paul told the Philippians in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

It was reported that today almost 50% of the American population are dealing with anxiety or depression. That is up from 30% a few short years ago. The answer is in the verse above. The result is in the next verse.

Paul says; Philippians 4:9, “Those things, that you have both learned and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”

It is time for all of us to take inventory of the things we are listening to. What enters our minds; we speak, and what we speak; we do. What we think is dictated by what we allow to enter our minds!

These are the things we consider at the Gathering Place Church every Sunday morning at 9:30 and 10:30 and Wednesday evening at 7. We have Youth Group and Next Steps Recovery Sunday evening at 6. Come and join us.