The Power of What You Consume: Leading Your Family with a Clean Heart

God’s Promise:

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” — Proverbs 4:23 (ESV)

Garbage In, Garbage Out

When I was a teenager, computers were just starting to become a thing. Back then, they weren’t sitting on desks—they filled entire rooms. One of the first lessons I learned about them was simple: “Garbage in, garbage out.” If you put bad data into a computer, you’d get bad results out of it. No exceptions. The machine was only as good as the information it received.

That truth applies to us as men just as much as it does to technology. What we allow into our hearts, minds, and lives will determine what comes out of us—how we lead, love, and serve our families. If we consume garbage, we’ll pour out garbage. If we consume truth, grace, and wisdom, we’ll pour those things out instead.

I’ve had seasons in life where I let the wrong things in. Maybe it wasn’t outright sin, but it was junk—useless distractions, negative voices, or just filling my time with things that had no eternal value. And when I did, I found myself running on empty when my family needed me to be strong. My patience was short, my mind was restless, and my heart felt distant from God.

The truth is, we can’t lead our wives and children well if we’re not first drawing from the right source. Jesus didn’t tell us to lead from our own strength. He told us to abide in Him. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, ESV)

It’s easy to think we’ve got this leadership thing figured out—to believe we can just power through, fix problems on our own, and handle whatever comes our way. But if we’re filling up on our own wisdom instead of God’s, we’re setting ourselves up for failure. That’s the same trap Adam and Eve fell into. They believed they knew better than God. They took matters into their own hands. And it led to disaster.

The world will fill you up with noise if you let it. The only way to fight back is to be intentional about what you let in. Do you start your day in the Word, or does your phone get your attention first? Do you let God’s truth fill your mind, or are you consuming more of what culture is feeding you? Are you leading your family in prayer, or are you expecting them to figure it out on their own?

Every day, we make choices about what we let into our lives. And every choice shapes us—either into the image of Christ or into something else.

Oh, and speaking of choices… Did you take out the garbage?

Shepherding in Action: Today’s Value

Discernment — The things we allow into our hearts and minds shape our ability to lead. A discerning man filters what he consumes so that he can shepherd his family with wisdom, truth, and love.

Reflection Questions for Men

1. What are you allowing into your life that may be polluting your heart and mind? How can you remove that distraction or influence?
2. Are you regularly abiding in Christ, or are you relying on your own wisdom to lead your family? What practical step can you take to make time with God a priority?
3. How can you set a stronger example for your family in filtering what comes into your home—whether it’s entertainment, social media, or even the conversations you allow?

Bible References:

• Proverbs 4:23 (Guarding your heart)
• John 15:5 (Abiding in Christ)
• Psalm 14 (The folly of rejecting God’s wisdom)

My Personal Journey:

These weekday reflections flow from my time in God’s Word. I invite you to join me and other men of the shepherd in building Christ-centered homes, leading and discipling like Jesus.

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