They say what goes in is what comes out. I’ve heard it said, “Garbage in, garbage out.” There’s a lot of truth to that statement right there.

My daughters are getting older, and I’ve noticed that I can’t turn on the radio without them starting to sing along to every song, whether I’ve heard it yet or not.

So we have really had to tighten our belt on what we listen to. It seems easy enough to set your dial on some country station and sway along with the music. But when you start to actually listen to the words, it might change your mind. When your 6-year-old daughter starts to sing the words, it will definitely change your mind.

I’m really shocked at how many of the songs have curse words in them now. We can’t get through two songs in a row without having to change the station. And if the language isn’t enough, then the message they are sending will convince you that it’s not what you want coming out of your children’s mouths. It’s all about drinking, partying, breaking the law and rebelling.

And heaven forbid if you change your radio to a rap or hip hop station. We often refer to that noise as musical pornography, because that is basically what is happening in the majority of their songs.

But the music we listen to isn’t the only way we are filtering things into our lives. The people we hang around, the movies and shows that we watch and the decisions we make every day weigh in our conscience and mold us into the people we are.

I was reminded the other day that when you squeeze a banana, a banana comes out. You don’t get oranges or raisins. And when you squeeze a bad banana, then you get a bad banana, whether you like it or not.

Who you are on the inside is who is going to come shining through when moments take you off guard or heighten your emotions.

It’s easy to look and smell like a good banana on Sunday morning. It’s even easy to look good when you’re at the family birthday party or the office on most days. But what kind of banana would your spouse and children say you are? They usually see the inside parts of you that you shield the rest of the outside world from seeing.

When you get the call from your boss asking you to work late on Friday, what comes out of your mouth? When your child is stomping all over your last nerve, what kind of banana will show through? Will that bruised up, rotten banana start to reveal its ugly head? Or will a ripe, perfect banana be seen by those around you?

There are times when you are going to fly off of the handle, and that looks differently for different people.

When my dad is at his angriest points in life, he simply says, “Phooey!” If you ever hear this word echo out of his mouth, then I can guarantee you have seen him at his worse and yet he still looks like a really great banana. For my mom, a good huff about sums up her extent of anger, and yet her banana looks pretty still.

Now I’m a little bit more edgy than my parents. I don’t go on a warpath and destroy everything in my way, but I’ll be rougher with the things that I am doing. If I’m doing dishes and I get angry, I’m gonna make sure you hear me scrubbing that pan and then will probably slam it down harder than necessary.

If I’m combing my daughter’s hair when she starts to back talk me, I’m gonna start being a little less patient with those tangles and let the brush fly for effect.

Yep folks, my banana is bruised up sometimes. It can often look like something only fit for banana nut bread and not for ripe consumption. That’s when I have to take a step back and reevaluate what I’ve been taking in. Have I been filling myself with goodness or rotten things from the world? Is my music uplifting, or full of filth? Are my friends making good impressions or bad impressions on my life?

The Bible says it this way, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Wow, when I read verses like that I am convinced that my banana may be rotten to the core and unfit for any use.

That’s when we have to make a change in our lives. The little things matter when it comes to what we are putting in our minds and hearts. Guard your heart. Guard your mind. And guard not only your ears, but the ears, heart and mind of your children and spouse also.

Be a good banana.