The Philippians Filter

I'm in a Bible Study with some friends and we're reading "Good To Great" and discussing it as a group.

The chapter I just finished talks about Paul's verse in Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

I've always thought of that verse as a "Christian filter" that I can apply to situations - like going to a movie. I almost always read the movie review - both Christian and secular - before I go. And I think - - "is it pure, is it praiseworthy?" - and I make a decision from there. (Sometimes it's the wrong decision because I override the verse!)

Or a secular song?

Or a friend who I hang around with.

When I filter my life through that verse, the discernment of what is Godly and holy, and what is not, is painfully obvious. The bad stuff still is enticing, but I know the difference.

The "Good To Great" book comments that once upon a time, we would buy a can of vegetables and the container would list the contents - "carrots." But now people are more health conscience so most food containers, including fast food, will list the nutrients - the carbs, calories, protein - so we can make healthy food choices.

It's become important to us to know the contents of the food we put in their body. So why is it that we are so casual about the content of films, music, advertising and friends that we put in our minds?

Philippians 4:8. It's the nutrients filter. It's the music filter. It's the movie filter. How come we don't use it? Why do we ignore it?