You Are What You Eat

Vending Machine 
by Beverly Shipko

This week, my average daily screen time has been around 7 hours a day. This is atypical for me, as I usually max out at around 3 hours per day, but I have been bedridden recovering from a wisdom teeth extraction, and have had very few sources of entertainment available to me. However, in the waking hours that I was not on my phone, I read an entire novel in the span of two days, and also built a snowman out of books. 

I say this because the entertainment that we consume impacts us far more than we realize. 

When I was in middle school, I struggled with loneliness and depression. Several years later, I realized what an impact the music I listen to has on my mood. I would leave rehearsal feeling exhausted but happy, then listen to Phoebe Bridgers the whole way home because it was quiet and not distracting, only to feel low and weepy by the time I got home. When I listened to worship music, on the other hand, I could keep the quiet atmosphere yet still feel fulfilled. In the past year, I have deleted all my sad playlists and made a morning playlist intentionally catered to happy, high-energy songs to set my mood for the day. You are what you eat, including your music taste. 

I love reading sad books. More specifically, I love books that place people in harsh, challenging conditions and explore how said people survive said conditions. However, when it is 2AM and my room is just a little too dark and that shadow reflected in my mirror looks a little too creepy, I just might have to switch to reading something lighter. The books that I choose to read directly impact my mood and my perception of my surroundings, and to be wary of that, I sometimes have to read a cheesy romance novel to even out my feelings. 

Everything we consume -- music, books, movies, podcasts, TV shows, food, and short-form content -- plays a role in our development as people and in our daily lives. Consuming content that pushes rapid dopamine hits can diminish our ability to stay focused for long periods of time. Consuming content that normalizes violence and shooting can decrease our concern for these events in real life. Consuming content that makes sex and drugs sound cool can make us want to try those things. I'm not making this up; these are scientifically-backed claims. (Don't believe me? Google it yourself.)

You are what you eat. Everything that you choose to put into your body and mind has a direct impact on you. So what are you choosing to consume?

For the Christian, this question is especially important. While everyone should demonstrate awareness and concern for their character and health, regardless of worldview, thinking about this from an atheist perspective allows a lot of leniency, since that standard of healthiness is independently decided. The Christian, however, should be guided not by their own desires but by the Word of God.

It is abundantly clear that content made directly for the glory of God is healthy for us. This includes worship songs, Scripture, and content about God. We also know that content including rampant sexuality or drug usage is probably bad. But what about the middle ground, of things that are not directly Christ-centered, but also aren't promoting sin? Songs about your teenage crush or a beautiful lake are not about Jesus, but they also aren't about sinful behaviors and ideas. It is this grey area that Christians really have to wrestle with. 

After much discussion with peers, one of my friends put forth the following standard from one of her pastors: All content falls under certain categories that allow us to A) Receive it, B) Redeem it, or C) Reject it. Worship music would fall under the receivable category. Pornography would fall under the rejectable category. But works like C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces, which is about a pagan cult, could be redeemed for the sake of Gospel messaging. Cormac McCarthy's The Road is incredibly gory and violent, but it also demonstrates the unending love and sacrifice of a father for his son, which can be reflective of the Gospel message. It is works like these that can be redeemed for the glory of God, as long as we are wary. 

You are what you eat. The content that you choose to consume can shape your worldview, personality, and desires. It can make you a better person or a worse person, and it is up to you and your discernment which media you choose to consume.