We have all had the miserable online experience of “spam” emails filling up our inbox, those “Stupid-Pointless-Annoying-Messages.” Sometimes they can infect and affect the workings of our computers, at the very least they are a nuisance. A while ago I even had some kind of virus that delivered spam messages to me even when I was offline! It was as though something had taken control of my computer and it was doing all kinds of crazy things. I didn’t get rid of the problem until I got rid of the computer. Fortunately, we now have the ability to adjust our “spam” sensitivity to junk mail. The idea is that this email runs through some sort of program and that filter determines when it is garbage, automatically sending it to the trash. Hopefully, that will eradicate, or at least diminish the amount of spam filling up our inbox.
Spam is obvious to identify when we are on the computer because we see it on the screen, but perhaps a little more subtle when we are exposed to “spam” throughout the day. Whether it is in the store, at work, on the road, or through the media, we expose ourselves to a lot of very unwelcomed input into our brains. Quite often there is a lot of input that is averse to the reality and the nature of God. Our world seeks to tear us down spiritually and morally. It seeks to erode our hope and foundation in the Almighty.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 tells us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” What that means is that even though we are attacked from every angle, we are not defenseless…as long as we don’t wage war according to the flesh. Rather, we have the privilege of taking all those thoughts and putting them through the “filter” of Christ. As we hold those thoughts up next to the Word of God, we can determine if they are spam and should be disposed of accordingly, or if we allow them into the vault. Point is we do have an active role in determining what we allow into the “Inbox.”
So, if spam is the kind of thing we throw out, what are we supposed to focus upon? Well, Paul comes through again in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Paul keeps it simple – focus on those things that are edifying, those things that build you up, those things that serve to solidify your foundation in Christ.
Don’t even open up your mind to the negativity of the world. If we desire to sprout good healthy fruit, we need to keep the weeds out of our soil.
If there is a lot of “spam” in your inbox, readjust your settings.
