GARBAGE IN - GARBAGE OUT

Have you ever heard these 4 words? If you were born in the 60s and went to college in the 80s, then chances are, you’ve heard the term.  If not, well…I could be your grandmother, I guess. 

But anyway, the term was made famous in the beginning days of computer science classes.  I took a FORTRAN class in college.  I didn’t choose to take the class mind you, I HAD to take it for my degree! Ugh!!! I remember the professor saying it all the time, “GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT.”  In other word’s, it’s not the computer’s fault if your Fortran program is not running properly! You gave it the wrong information!

Our minds and thoughts matter.  What do we meditate on? Watch? Listen to? Look at? It all matters.  What we put into our minds and hearts comes out.  Such a simple thought, yet so deep.

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8 

We put the good stuff in, and the good stuff comes out.  And vice versa.  As we parent our children, it’s important to set the bar high as it relates to the what we watch, read, listen to, etc.  We had to put the brakes on more than once with certain TV shows, music stations, clothing choices… Once we realized that our choices didn’t match up with Philippians 4:8, then we needed to repent and go the other direction.  And the Holy Spirit living inside of us as believers in Christ, equipped us to make that decision and change. 

Garbage in, Garbage out.  Good stuff in, Good stuff out.  

Lisa Clark