A few days ago, we discovered a leak—not that we saw where it was coming from, but due to the resulting water spreading on our kitchen floor from underneath the sink. After mopping it, we thought we were fine. Until I started to run the dishwasher. More water flowed quickly out from underneath onto the floor. After immediately shutting off the dishwasher, I dashed downstairs to retrieve the mop and bucket and came upon even more water flowing down like a waterfall from a basement pipe near the ceiling.

Time for a workaround way to wash dishes. Grabbing a large, plastic container with a handle and lid, I set it on the floor by the sink and started bailing out sink water safely into it.

Safe provided no one drank out of it, considering it was polluted with soap, dirt, and whatever else came off of dirty dishes, pots, and pans. Along came Trooper, our dog, to get something to drink. He’d already been curiously observing the proceedings, leaving a trail of dirty wet pawprints throughout our first floor. Now he was back for hydrating sustenance.

Before I could tell him, “Don’t drink from here! (the large container)”, he’d already peered down, smelled it, and calmly refused it, choosing instead to take a few extra steps to his water bowl and drink from that. Relieved, I thought, “What a smart, wise, dog!”

Next thought—“What about us? Are we humans that wise about what we drink from?” Sadly not. Sure, people generally know better than to drink water that’s discolored and murky. But what about figurative water sources? As in, how do we hydrate our minds, hearts, souls, and spirits? Where are we getting our sustenance from? Social media? Video streaming subscriptions? Various news media outlets? YouTube? Friends and family? Colleagues?

Are those bad sources? Not necessarily. Are they good sources? Not necessarily. Like Trooper who kept his eyes and nose open and used both when he came upon the convenient and enticing novel new source of water, we need to exercise discernment.

How do we do that? Especially given that hydration is a legitimate need. No water, no life.

First, ask the Lord. In many cases, the pollution isn’t so obvious. The enemy of our souls sneaks it in there, so that the water appears and seems pure. Take toilet bowls, for example. Even dogs like Trooper, with enough good sense to not drink out of that container, have been caught lapping from that alternative source of water!

Jas. 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let them ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given them.”

We need His wisdom because “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death.” (Prov. 14:12)

Second, have clean, life-giving, sources of water available so we don’t get desperate. If there’s no other water in the house and we’re parched, that on-hand, “clean”, toilet water in the bowl is going to seem mighty fine to us! But if we seek purity, we’ll find and be satisfied with it.

“’Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.’” Mat. 5:6

Third, purify our hearts and spirits so we can tell the difference between good and bad, right and wrong. We can’t recognize polluted input if it’s like what’s already inside us. When we’re clean, we’ll immediately notice anything impure. As in, dirt shows up on white carpets.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me…” Ps. 51:10.

People often say, “I can watch sex, violence, and swearing in movies. It doesn’t bother me. I can handle it.”  But why doesn’t it bother them?! That’s like someone with severe congestion saying they can handle putrid food because it doesn’t smell bad to them! Poison is poison regardless of how much it “bothers” us.

Fourth, examine it according to God’s standards— Does it line up with Scripture? What kind of thoughts does it contain and what kind is it producing? What kind of attitude and feelings result from those thoughts?

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 Jn. 4:1

Phil. 4:8 gives us a standard to judge our thoughts– “… 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. If the source of our thoughts doesn’t contain or produce anything on this list, we know it’s contaminated.

Finally, put a lid on it—the polluted water source. Remove the temptation. Why make it harder on ourselves or others than necessary? Yes, Trooper has good sense, but he also has dog-nature that can make him forget that. So, I put the lid on the container, (and shut the lids on our toilet seats when we go out!). We, in our human nature, sometimes forget to consult the Lord or live by His standards, especially when we feel desperate.

“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

How careful are you about what you drink from?