Growing up, Mark’s parents tried to keep the TV on as little as possible. After homework was done, and chores were finished his family would watch a couple evening shows, but even these were monitored before being selected. They would go to the movies ever so often, but mostly for the newest Disney hits.

Getting older, more of the choices were left to Mark. He took more control of the remote, went to see a variety of different movies, and started listening to different kinds of music. His parents still had a say, and would make sure that he wasn’t branching out too far. However, when college came around, Mark was “free”. He became a movie “connoisseur” and a fan of pop culture. Television started taking more of his time. He spent more time on the internet and at concerts. Now, mind you, Mark set barriers. He was somewhat more selective in what he would spend his money on. If the crowd was going, then he was there. If the masses liked it, then Mark would give it a try, and if it was a “must see” then why wait?

Of course this came with some sacrifice. Certainly lots of money would be spent to entertain himself. But there came a point where he asked himself what he was paying for. More and more it got easier to handle violence in movies and television. In his music and on dates he stopped wincing at profanity that would be offensive and he brushed the provocative sexuality away as necessary to the love story.

It wasn’t until Mark met his future wife, Nicole, that he started to become concerned about the example he was setting and he became protective of what he and his wife saw and heard. Of course, Mark could “handle” it. He had gotten used to it, and could block it out. That stuff just didn’t affect him the way it did her. Yeah right!

Now Mark is a young father. His children are still young, but they have their movies, and he has his. They listen to “safe” music, and when he’s alone he’ll pop in stuff that he can “handle”. Their internet access is monitored and blocked for their protection, whereas he has the password for full access. 

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SCRIPTURAL POINTS OF LIGHT

1 Peter 2:11; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Romans 6:11-14; Galatians 6:7-8; 1 John 2:15-17; Proverbs 6:25; 27:20; Ecclesiastes 1:8; Colossians 3:5-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5