What We Watch Shapes Who We Are

We often think that as long as we're not paying close attention, what we watch or listen to won’t really affect us. But the truth is, much of our thinking isn’t deliberate it’s passive. Whether scrolling social media or binge-watching a series, our minds are always at work, taking in new information, whether we’re conscious of it or not.

In his poignant observation, theologian J. Gresham Machen once wrote, “When any new fact enters the human mind it must proceed to make itself at home.” This means even when we’re not actively analyzing, our minds are still arranging and integrating information. And over time, what we allow into our minds even through entertainment can profoundly shape who we are.

The Tutors We Never Meant to Hire

Think of every show, movie, podcast, or influencer as a kind of tutor. As we passively consume content, we are learning from them absorbing ideas about what’s right and wrong, what’s beautiful and ugly, what’s admirable and shameful. While many Christians are careful to avoid dangerous teachings in books or sermons, they often drop their guard when it comes to entertainment.

But this content, wrapped in humor or drama, often teaches more effectively than a lecture. It embeds values and worldviews subtly, comfortably and often without challenge. That’s what makes it so powerful. We let it in for a laugh or an emotional thrill, but it often moves in and decorates the space.

A 2023 study from Pew Research revealed that American adults spend nearly eight hours per day on digital media. With such immersive exposure, it’s not surprising that cultural values often echo more loudly in our hearts than biblical ones.

Passive Thinking and the Christian Life

We may associate sanctification only with the intense moments of spiritual battle taking thoughts captive, resisting temptation, fighting for purity. But there’s another battlefield: our everyday, passive consumption. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:5, we are to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God,” but before we can destroy them, we must first recognize them and to do that, we need to know what God's truth actually sounds like.

That knowledge begins in passive spaces, in habits and routines, in what we fill our idle hours with. Holiness doesn’t grow only in moments of effort; it grows through environment. If we saturate our minds with what is lovely, true, and pure (Philippians 4:8), we begin to breathe the atmosphere of righteousness.

Acclimating to Righteousness

Imagine your mind as a house. Every piece of media you consume is like a visitor knocking on the door. Some come in with mud on their shoes, others bring light and beauty. Over time, the guests you allow in most often begin to set the tone and they either make your mind more hospitable to the Holy Spirit or to worldly patterns of thought.

This is why God’s Word is so vital. When we sit under Scripture even without grasping every line we are letting God’s thoughts wash over us, recalibrating our desires, priorities, and affections. Hebrews 4:12 says the Word is “living and active,” sharper than any sword. And that sharpness doesn’t require our full analysis to do its work.

It’s also why wholesome stories, biographies, sermons, and even music matter. The right kinds of stories those saturated with truth and beauty plant ideas in our hearts that quietly grow into virtue. A parent reading C.S. Lewis aloud to their children is not only nurturing imagination but shaping the moral architecture of their entire family.

Ask the Right Question

The better question isn’t just “Is this show or movie bad?” It’s “What is this forming in me?” Is it cultivating love for what God loves? Does it dull my sense of sin? Does it make holiness feel strange or beautiful? Does it normalize pride, lust, or deceit, or does it draw my affections toward humility, purity, and truth?

A 2022 Barna report found that 58% of Christians believe media has more influence on morality than their church. If that’s true, we can’t afford to consume mindlessly. The media we engage with might entertain us but it also disciples us.

Changing the Stream

So what can we do? We start by intentionally placing ourselves in better streams. We make Scripture our primary influence, not an occasional one. We supplement with rich Christian literature, biblically grounded media, and even fictional works that reflect biblical themes. We allow righteousness to settle into the living room of our minds.

When we do this consistently, we’ll notice something shift. Holiness becomes familiar. God’s thoughts feel less foreign. And when something offensive or false tries to enter, it feels jarring because our souls are now tuned to what is good.

Isaiah 55:8 reminds us, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” But by grace, we’re invited to learn His thoughts, to breathe His truth, until His ways begin to shape our own.

So next time you press play, pause to consider: what kind of tutor am I inviting in? What story am I allowing to settle into my imagination? And do I want to become more like it?

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