I remember growing up. I did not understand why my parents were so particular about the music I listened to. They were also particular about the shows I watched. As a kid, it felt extreme. Even in early adulthood, I brushed it off. It’s just music… it’s just TV, right?

But now I see what they saw.

The Bible tells us:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)

When we hear “heart,” we often think of the physical organ or the symbol we associate with Valentine’s Day. But in Scripture, the heart refers to something deeper: your core. It’s the seat of your thoughts, emotions, desires, and intentions. That’s why the verse says everything you do flows from it. Your actions, your words, your reactions, and even your worldview all come from what’s cemented in your heart.

So why is this important?

Because what we consume daily, whether it’s music, television, social media, or conversations, doesn’t just pass through us. It plants seeds. Over time, those seeds grow into beliefs, values, and habits. These shape how we see the world. They also shape how we live in it.

My parents weren’t trying to ruin my fun. They were trying to protect the soil of my heart. And they understood something. Now, as an adult, I deeply appreciate this: what gets into your heart will eventually come out in your life.

This is especially true during formative years. If you’re a parent, I encourage you to pay close attention to what your children are regularly taking in. What they watch, hear, and scroll through is shaping who they’re becoming, even if it doesn’t seem obvious right now.

But this isn’t just a message for kids.

We’re all vulnerable, especially in seasons of heartbreak, loss, illness, transition, or spiritual immaturity. During these times, our hearts are open and tender. What we feed them matters more than ever.

Think about the world we live in today. One of the biggest influences on our hearts, whether we realize it or not, is social media.

You see it all the time, people scrolling for hours, ingesting post after post, video after video. Most don’t even realize how much of it is shaping their view of the real world. But it does. Because we spend so much time on these platforms, what we absorb eventually gets into our hearts.

The content might be entertaining or even seem harmless, but over time it starts to influence what we believe, how we speak, what we value, and how we interpret reality.

And the thing is, your feed is personalized. Algorithms show you more of what you engage with, so you start seeing the same kinds of messages, opinions, or lifestyles over and over again. It feels like truth, but it’s often a filtered, incomplete version of it. Meanwhile, someone else is seeing something entirely different, shaped by their own engagement.

Both of you could be forming strong opinions based on content that doesn’t reflect the full picture. And that’s the danger: when we don’t guard our hearts, we risk letting distorted information become deeply ingrained in us.

So, should we give up music, TV, or social media?

Not necessarily.

But we should be mindful.

Ask yourself:

• Is this content helping or harming my heart?

• Is it pulling me closer to truth or further into confusion?

• Is it sowing peace or chaos?

Your heart is precious. It’s where God speaks, where your purpose is nurtured, and where your character is formed. Don’t just let anything in. Be intentional. Be aware. Guard it, because everything flows from it.