Dear Solomon, do the things I see and hear really impact me?

I remember an old Sunday school song from when I was young. I can’t recall all of it, but a line or two went like this: “Oh, be careful little eyes what you see; oh, be careful little ears what you hear.” All caring and loving parents try to protect their children from seeing and hearing things that could be damaging to them. We monitor what they watch on television and frown upon the music they listen to.

In this day and age, we have to be wary of so many other potential dangers — the internet sites they visit and the video games they play, to name a couple, and in some areas of our country, we even have to be aware of what is being taught in their schools. We do this because all these things have an effect on their lives, even if it is initially a small and subtle effect.

That song I learned in Sunday school as a young boy should be learned all over again by adults. What makes it OK for adults to watch and listen to the garbage that we won’t let our children watch or listen to? If it is damaging to them, why isn’t it damaging to us? If the words and the images have a negative effect on their lives, why do we feel they do not have a negative effect on our lives?

Solomon wishes to speak to us concerning this subject today — those who choose to do wrong listen to wicked talk; liars pay attention to words that destroy. Solomon is obviously addressing the words we allow ourselves to hear, but I do not believe we will be doing harm to this thought by expanding the principle to what we see as well.

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