Brain Sludge

Humor columnist Dave Barry writes about a term called "Brain Sludge" coined by scientists to describe the vast collection of odd things the brain chooses to remember, instead of useful information. For example, if you take any group of one hundred average Americans, and sing to them, "Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed." At least ninety-seven of them will immediately sing: "A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed." Barry quips, "They will sing this even if they are at a funeral... they can't help it."

Another way of looking at this phenomenon is like old-fashioned flypaper. All kinds of disjointed information sticks to the brain like flies on those sticky, hanging glue strips. In fact, many people are proud to amass the most mental flies—little useless facts people boast of knowing—because this supposedly shows how 'smart' they are. The bad news is that an undisciplined mind full of mainly useless facts deceives people into believing themselves intellectually strong when in fact they are merely the haphazard owners of a vast collection of mental flies or, again, what Dave Barry calls, Brain Sludge.

Jesus said that a tree is known by its fruit (Luke 6:43). Good trees produce good fruit and bad trees produce bad fruit. Therefore, you can know if your amassed knowledge is comprised of either Brain Sludge or useful knowledge by what your life is producing. Here's a good test for self-diagnosis: Is your life producing faith, contentment, peace, healthy relationships, prosperity, productivity, purpose, success, joy and love? Is your mind alive to good things? Is your closest friend your spouse? Do you love God and His church? Do you love your neighbor? Really?

If not, the good news is that the brain's flypaper like adhesive quality works on useful information as well as Brain Sludge, but it takes a little work. Romans 12:2 says, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Renewing the mind is a mandate to the child of God.

To renew the mind, the flypaper must be hung in the appropriate room where it will catch the right thoughts. If someone consistently exposes themselves to healthy, success-producing knowledge, eventually their brain will begin catching small strands of healthy thoughts and words. The healthy thoughts and words deepen over time with repetition and bond together with other healthy knowledge creating a network of healthy thinking. And here is a major tip: Healthy thinking results in healthy actions.

How to move mental fly paper into a healthy room:

1. Study the Bible. The Bible is the perfect fountain of knowledge and wisdom and the healthiest thinking comes from its words. The Bible says:

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15

How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. Psalms 119:9

But you must continue in the... Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim 3:14-17

2. Meditate on or ponder good thoughts. Again, healthy thinking results in healthy actions. The Bible says:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

3. Keep the right company. Avoid spending too much time with negative, gloomy, dirty-minded, overly sarcastic, untruthful, foul-mouthed and crooked people, at least as much as possible. Also, as John Kelly teaches, there are three kinds of people; those who hate you, those who tolerate you, and those who celebrate you. Try to spend most of your time with those who celebrate you and the least amount of time with those who hate you.

Go out of your way to befriend people who will make you feel good, noble, intelligent, compassionate and holy. Here is a tip: if good people seem to avoid you, check a mirror. The Bible says:

Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." 1 Corinthians15:33

4. Cultivate your mind-life like a garden. You wouldn’t let destructive animals or insects into your vegetable garden and neither should you allow every ungodly voice in the world into your mind and heart.The Bible says:

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God... the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. From Luke 8:11-15

5. Speak and pray faith-filled words and prayers. The Bible says:

Have faith in God. "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Mark 11:22-24

6. When you recognize your own toxic thinking and attitudes, repent. The Bible says:

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

In conclusion: Implementing these six simple principles will revolutionize one's life. Imagine being able to recite the Scripture as readily as we recite our cultural Brain Sludge. I can hear it now...Someone sings, "Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed." And ninety-seven people retort,

"As a door turns on its hinges, So does the lazy man on his bed." (Proverbs 26:14)

At Catskill Mountain Christian Center we are committed to creating opportunities for people to grow in God’s grace. To reposition your mental fly-paper or to cleanse your mental sludge, I encourage you to participate in any of the dozens of activities held here each month including:

-Sunday and Wednesday Services

-Bible Studies

-Home Groups

-Christian Life School of Theology, Beacon University

-Prayer services

-Christian Worker Home Bible Study Series

-Family Church

-Men’s and women’s meetings

-Sunday school classes for the whole family

-Youth Group

-Senior Citizen’s Fellowship & Dinner

-Pastoral counseling

Catskill Mountain Christian Center
629 Main Street
Margaretville, NY 12455
845-586-4848
e mail: cmcconline@yahoo.com
web site: http://www.cmcconline.org/
Sunday Service: 10:00 am