Subscription Lists

We are a culture largely shaped by media. I mean all media. There is news media and there is social media and there is ... you get the idea. We live in this sea of media, this constant tide of public opinion and perspective. And like the tide, they relentlessly beat on us trying to sway us to their perspective. And it is never without a bias.

We like to think that the news media in particular is reporting "just the facts." What we often fail to see (besides the fact that they never do) is that the very nature of the news concept is biased. You see, no one prints the everyday. No outlet wants to tell you that 300 million Americans drove to work and home again on Tuesday without being in an auto accident. There is no media group that is telling us that 7.78 billion of the 7.8 billion people on the planet have not contracted the coronavirus. Why? It's the nature of news. They don't report the ordinary; they report the extraordinary.

This bias, however, has a serious effect on our thinking. When all we hear is the extraordinary (and, typically, the extraordinarily bad), we begin to think of it as ordinary. "A child was kidnapped? That's bad. It must be happening all the time!" "A school shooting? That's awful! All kids who go to school are in imminent danger!" You get the idea.

Scripture has something to say to us about this. Paul wrote, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2) When we allow media – especially media of this world – to direct our thinking, we are being conformed to this world. We need to be transformed, to have our minds renewed. Instead of us being shaped by our world's thinking, God's Word tells us, "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." (Philippians 4:8) Renewing the mind.

Jesus offered His disciples a serious cure for a troubled heart. "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me." (John 14:1) Incredibly simple; incredibly effective. Do you fear? Are the world events and circumstances and voices troubling you? Don't let them. Believe in God. Trust Him. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27) The transformed mind.

"Point of Reference" from Fred Price

The In-Between-Times