During undergrad, I took a Communication in Cultures class. One day the professor was talking about the traditional metaphor of the United States being a melting pot of different people and different cultures all coming together as one and how she didn’t like that analogy, preferring the concept of a stew pot. “Why a stew pot?” she asked. The class talked about several different things, but there was one point that really stands out in my mind.
In a melting pot, everything comes together and it becomes very difficult to separate those elements and pull something out. In a stew pot, you can see the carrots, you can see the beef, you can see the peas. And, while it would be time-consuming, you could go through and take every single piece of a particular ingredient out – but not their influence on the dish. You can remove all the carrots, but their impact from simmering with all the other ingredients will remain.
This is why it is so important that we guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:20-27) and our minds (Luke 21:34-35). Satan is looking for any foothold in our lives. He’s searching for a way in that will provide him the chance to influence us for evil. And he’s going to do it in a way that is enticing and attractive. For example, I really enjoy music. Different styles, different genres (ok, not rap or opera so much, but others). I have a deep appreciation for the impact music can have on our mood and our perspectives. This means I have to be very conscientious about listening to a song that I may enjoy the melody, the “beat,” or the instrumentation but the lyrics are designed to pull my heart and my mind away from God. And for a music lover, even if I stop listening to a song, it’s still in my head and can be impactful if allowed.
Satan is going to dress up evil influence in the forms of music, movies, relationships, or perhaps that promotion that will improve your financial situation, but pull you away from the more important things.
So, what should we focus on? Colossians 3:1-4 reads:
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Let’s spend our time focusing on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). And, “above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity” (Colossians 3:14).
I hope you’ll spend some time this week meditating on things above.
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