What Goes Up Must Come Down

A law of nature that mankind has been bound by since the beginning of time is gravity. Sure, man has gone into space and experienced weightlessness, but the rule remains that what goes up must come down. This principle can be applied to what goes into our minds as well. In other words, what goes in must come out. Jesus said something similar to this, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21). If we fill our mind with things of this world, soon our actions will show our heart is not set on things above. Paul wrote, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col. 3:1-2).

As Christ followers, we must be cautious of what we allow to enter our minds. If we are constantly around negative people, they will soon rub off on us and our minds will be transformed into negative thinking. 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” (Rom. 12:2). Paul understood that we can be conformed to the world by the things we watch, listen to, read, participate in, and people we associate with.

When James wrote about taming the tongue, he described it as “a fire” (3:6). He even recognized, “…no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (3:8). Where does this fire get its fuel? Our speech strongly reflects the things we put into our minds. You are more likely to allow bad language to ooze into your vocabulary if you permit it into your mind. It may be a gradual progression we do not realize has happened. It may get to a point that, “With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so” (James 3:9-10). Do not fool yourself into thinking you can keep spending time with that foul mouth co-worker, television show/movie, music artist, comedian, etc. and be able to tame your own tongue. What goes up must come down and what goes in must come out.