First, the bad news. Our society can have a terrible influence on us and our children. The entertainment media, for example, offer various forms of sinful behavior for our listening and viewing "pleasure." One music TV channel, for instance, was characterized in World magazine by film critic Michael Medved like this: "There is absolutely no excuse for MTV to be present in the home. It is 100-percent negative."

And now for the good news. None of society's negative influences have to bother you. They will affect you and your family only if you let them. They can infiltrate the minds of you and your children only if you refuse to use the discernment, power, and instruction God has provided to everyone who is redeemed by faith in His Son Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:20-24).

In other words, our problem is not so much the evil in society as it is our lack of discernment and self-control.

We should find great comfort in knowing that the Lord has given us the resources to live above society's level of degradation. We can be in the world but not of it (Jn. 17:14-17). If we are living in the power of the Holy Spirit under the guidance of the Word of God, society's bad influences can't get to us.  — Dave Branon