Garbage In Garbage Out (GIGO) is a computer term. Though we are not computers, I believe GIGO applies to every aspect of our human existence. If I allow ‘garbage’ into my body, mind, or spirit, I can expect to ‘express’ garbage.
The bible talks about GIGO:
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.- Proverbs 23:7, KIV
For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good works from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart.- Matthew 12:34-35, NLT
Some examples of how GIGO manifests in our lives include:
- If you eat junk food, you will have increased risk of getting bad health.
- If you associate yourselves with friends who abuse drugs, get drunk, and are promiscuous, then you are likely to fall into this very dangerous lifestyle yourself.
- If you fill your minds with images of pornography, violence, fractured relationships etc., you will begin to act out what you put in.
On the other hand, if you fill your minds with what is good, you will also manifest good behaviour. Again, the bible gave instructions regarding this matter:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever, is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.- Philippians 4:8, NIV
For myself, I realize what I input into my mind affects my thinking and my emotions. For example, I enjoy watching dramas and movies. When I watch a show portraying broken relationships and disappointments in people, I tend to feel the same regarding my own relationships with others. However, when I watch a show about hope and love, I feel hopeful about my relationships with others too.
When this truth about what you input determines what you are struck me, I was a little worried. I re-examined the kind of input I feed my body, my mind, and my spirit. I realize I feed myself a lot of garbage, and these garbage are doing a lot of harm to me. It scares me that I am shaping myself to become the garbage I feed myself with. Btw, by feeding I’m not only referring to food like chocolate and rice, but also other stuff like the books I read or friends I have or ideas I think etc…
Thus, I have made a commitment to be extra careful with what I feed myself. No more unwholesome food, movies, books, activities etc… for me. Sometimes I might be tempted to stumble, but if you see me do that, kindly remind me by whispering, ‘GIGO’. =)
