Are we programmed at birth?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: Working in the field of computer science has been fascinating—and sometimes scary, considering what goes into programming. My boss often compares computer software to the human brain. While I disagree with him, the brain is complex and as many say, “What goes into our brain eventually comes out in our thoughts, words, and actions.” Are we programmed at birth? – C.P.
A: In a sense, we do get programmed by families, culture, education, and entertainment. Our minds are constantly taking in information and images that impact how we think, what we say, and what we do.
While God does not program us in the same way as a set of instructions or as a robot, the Bible does tell us that God has “set eternity” in our hearts but no one knows the work God does from beginning to end (see Ecclesiastes 3:11).
We are responsible for what we allow into our minds. We need to program our minds and our hearts that when bad things permeate our thinking and take root, we are to seek the mind of Christ and replace bad with good from God’s Word.
When we open our hearts to Christ and ask Him to help us see the way He sees us we should depend on Him to reveal what needs to be cleaned up, and then drink in the pure water of His wisdom. He will faithfully guide us; that it His desire. “Set up signposts, make landmarks; set your heart toward the highway” (Jeremiah 31:21, NKJV). The Bible is our road map for living a life that brings glory and honor to His Name, and we do well to follow the admonition of Scripture: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2, NIV).
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