Garbage in equals garbage out

October 16, 2013 · 0 Comments

There is an expression in the computer programming world which says, “garbage in, garbage out” (GIGO). This saying points out the fact that a computer can do only what it is programmed to do and is only as good as the data it receives and the instructions it is given.

The reality is this concept is not just true of computers, it is true of human beings as well. As Earl Nightingale said many decades ago, “We become what we think about most of the time.” What we choose to put into our minds and hearts will determine what comes out. The

Apostle Paul wrote about the importance of what we choose to input into our life in Philippians 4:4-8. He wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! {5} Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. {6} Do not be anxious about anything, but

in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. {7} And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. {8} Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”

To what extent are we in the Church committed to the concept of excellence in our daily lives? Why is it so many people go along only to get along in life? On what basis do we

have the right to think we should be entitled to “all the good things” in life, without any personal effort, responsibility, or accountability in making it happen? Within the context of the Church, is it possible, the free gift of God, our opportunity to be set free from the bondage of sin and guilt through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary, has created a process of thinking which has forgotten there was great cost involved in providing the free gift?

Could it be, this line of thinking opens the door for people to forget also the incredible cost invested by those who have gone before us in providing for the freedoms we enjoy in our country today? In fact, is it possible this line of thinking has spread into much of our thought processes today?

How do you do life on a daily basis? Is it filled with joy, gratitude, appreciation, thanksgiving and faith? Do you start each day with a sense of expectation and excitement about what may make up the individual moments coming your way? Do you incorporate into your thinking and actions the very things which will give you the outcomes you would like to see happen? Does what you are reading, listening to, or watching bring increased value and benefit to your life? When was the last time you made the deliberate choice to consciously apply the universal law incorporated into all of life, the Law of the Harvest? This law, you reap what you sow, is a reminder to take on responsibility for the outcomes in your life. If you want the byproduct of excellence in your life, you must decide to input excellence into everything you do.

When you begin to become aware of the principle, what you think and what you believe and what you say matters, because it impacts your actions, which determine the outcomes in your life, then you will start to realize the significance of the phrase, “garbage in, garbage out,” or the opposite side of the coin, “excellence in, excellence out.”

While the principles outlined in this article may take five minutes or less to learn, the student of wisdom will see they take a lifetime to master, as you seek to implement them on a daily basis. Since your outputs are the result of your inputs, do you like what you currently see in your life? If not, then there is no better time than right now to change your input so you can achieve a different output.

Rev. Bob McLellan

Pastor of Grace Church of the Nazarene,

Shelburne