Since the dawn of the information age, shaped in part or in whole by advances in various forms of technology, we have been inundated with data. Some of this information is intended to help us grow and develop in knowledge, skill, and understanding. A lot of it isn’t. There has been a proliferation of facts, figures, and varying degrees of useful and useless information designed and programmed to establish, enhance, change, or exchange our perspective on any given subject. Where we once had libraries housed in a physical building at or near educational institutions or in the center of our communities, we now carry expanded sets of information contained in a virtual world wide library in the palms of our hands.

Okay, so what, isn’t that a good thing? Yes, in whole, I think it is and I too, hope to contribute to the growth of individuals by encouraging them to continue their search for knowledge and understanding with passion and fervor. But, I think God also cautioned us through James when he said “to keep one from being polluted by the world.� (James 1:27b)

I believe we build a personal character that keeps us from being polluted by an ever-growing avalanche of ideas and ideology by seeking and speaking the truth. We can separate the pollution from the information that truly helps us grow, especially in our younger years when we may be without the benefit of experience or mentorship, by envisioning and focusing on the truths as they are expressed in God’s word.

Well, having been around the block of life for a while and having the experience of mentoring young adults and people who influence them I have extracted five words from the volumes of research I sought for truth and growth in my own life.

There is a caveat to this article and that is simply this; it has been said before that there is nothing new, no new information. There have been thousands of books written to help us get to where we want to go, but many of them are a reformulation of ideas or thoughts about what has already been said or done. I’m not delivering anything new here either. I’m simply sharing my thoughts and writing in the hope of encouraging people to seek what God has planned for them with all of the hearts and minds and strength. I say, “search the scriptures� and decide for yourself, but search! The words that follow are meant to inspire or motivate you to do just that!

1. Priority
Placing our personal worlds in the right priority is a decision; nothing more, nothing less. The Lord created us for a purpose, and He will only affect that purpose when we give Him first priority in our lives. You can spend a lifetime trying to refute this claim, or you can save yourself some time and go ask those who have tried to live their lives outside of a right relationship with Him and have come full circle because they experienced the consequences of their decisions. God will not force Himself on us. He gave us the gift of choice for a reason. Choose to give Him priority position in your life and you will live pollution free.

2. Perspective
I’m sure you have heard the phrases “perception is reality� or “there is your truth, my truth, and the real truth.� We have the capacity to think whatever it is that we want. Again, it is a choice. The apostle Paul tells us how and on what we should think. In Philippians 4:8, Paul tells us to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. He then says that if we will put it into practice, the peace of God will be with us. What a phenomenal way to filter out the junk. Imagine if all the things you try to accomplish begin with good and noble thoughts. Your future can be clouded or clarified by your perspective. The choice of course, is yours. Why not reap the benefits of a Godly perspective?

3. Practice
Once we have chosen to prioritize our lives and we decide which filters we will use to see ourselves and the world around us, we must put it into practice, or act on that which we believe. The saying goes that a trip around the world begins with the first step. I would add that the trip only ends after a succession of steps. Since I also believe it’s not just the destination that counts, but the journey as well, I think it’s also important to view practice not as a duty, but a treasure. The best way to contain pollution is not to add to it. If we fill our minds with the right perspective and then practice seeing it materialize one step at a time, God will honor those steps, especially if He has 1st priority.

4. Prayer
Yeshua (Jesus’ Hebrew name) said in Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.� That Jesus said this should be enough for us to listen, but the real truth is we are blessed when we choose to seek Him. Are you willing to humble yourself enough to ask for His help in your walk? It is a most difficult thing for many men to swallow their pride and ask for help during times of stress. Stress can be good or bad, but it is actually nothing more than a moment in time in which change is required and we again have a choice to go to God in prayer and ask for help in our growth. Or, we can choose to separate ourselves from Him by doing what we want instead of what He wants. Prayer is the greatest communication tool; one on one instruction with the creator of the universe. C’mon guys, this is a no brainer. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.� What unwanted stuff could invade the world of a righteous man whose thoughts are filled with fervent prayer?

5. Perseverance
Here is a tough one. Who really wants to suffer through the muck and the mire to get where they want to go. Our society today fosters a spirit of immediate gratification and that in many cases becomes our expectation of God; that when we ask, we will receive that which we ask for - immediately. Or, at least on our timetable! But praise the Lord, He knows us better than we know ourselves. True growth comes from persevering through the logjam of our own present circumstances. Spiritual strength comes when we push through the mud and proceed toward our goals despite the setbacks caused by the debris of the world. Jesus knew exactly where He was headed with every step from the Garden of Gethsemane to the path up the Via Delarosa. Yet He determined that the will of the Father was more important than His own. The same is true for us when we determine that what God wants for us is worth pursuing and worth the price He paid for us to reach it.

I guess you have noticed by now that all of the character building reference words I used began with the letter ‘P,� including the proverbial pollution of our minds and hearts. I enjoy having fun with our language as a means to communicate ideas. If you are a young man reading this article I pray you will adopt a hunger for knowledge and truth and a burning desire to seek it, no matter what. If you are a young adult, I pray that you will temporarily set aside your previous conditioning until you research the truth for yourself and determine your own path. If you are middle aged or older, I pray that you will choose to use your life’s experiences, both positive and negative, as a testimony to guide those God brings to you for help. The pollution of sin affects all of us. Again, the greatest gift we possess is the power of choice. We can aimlessly choose to avoid the things that life hurls our way by ducking, but the more we duck, the more we have our eyes closed and the less stuff we see coming at us. Or, we can submit ourselves to Yeshua HaMeshiach (Jesus the Messiah) and choose to see our journey much more clearly. Using the 5 P’s of character building (Priority, Perspective, Practice, Prayer and Perseverance) is one way of avoiding info-pollution. It’s also a relatively easy and safe passage through the obstacles in our journey back home.
Shalom!

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