GIGO―God-In, God-Out
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. Romans 12:2 NKJV
GIGO―A term I had not heard in more than fifteen years. I ran across it while preparing to teach an Introduction to Computers class. In the computer world, it means “Garbage-In, Garbage-Out.” As I thought about it, I realized that in fact,
humans are the greatest computers ever designed, and God definitely is the Master Architect and Programmer.
If we stop and think for a moment about how well all parts of the human body fit together as one unit, we’ll find ourselves utterly amazed at its vital components and similarities to a computer system―the brain could be considered the CPU or the Central Processing Unit; the heart could be the Storage or hard drive; and arms, legs, hands, feet, eyes, nose, ears and mouth are all peripherals that work in conjunction with the CPU.
The brain is the CPU instead of the heart, for it controls all input and output functions, just as a CPU does in a real computer. If we refer back to the acronym GIGO, we as humans allow our “CPUs” to take in a lot of garbage; and if we do
not know how to empty the recycle bin, we will let the garbage collect until it overloads our system and spews it back out.
It’s crucial to protect our brains and our hearts against “garbage.” And learning to develop this skill can protect us from the consequences that come from having a system that is corrupted; however, this skill takes time and awareness. As Christians, we should dwell on God’s Word and use those words to break down the garbage intake. Instead of thinking of the acronym as “Garbage-
In, Garbage-Out,” think of it as “God-In, God-Out.” When we dwell on the words of our Heavenly Father, we allow His transforming power to reprogram both our minds and hearts with everything that is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable . . . things that are excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8 NIV).
Do not let your body, mind, and spirit become corrupted with garbage; instead, use the antivirus program of the Word of God. He has made you, designed you, and approved of you; He loves you unconditionally; He believes in you more than you’ll ever believe in yourself; and He will never leave you. Know this: You can never erase Him from your mind and heart. He has programmed Himself within you, and His Word is a program that never has to be upgraded.
Let your mind, body, and spirit be made new every day. Empty your recycle bin often and delete any old programming, then start each day with a reboot. Live daily renewing your mind: “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” Romans 12:2 (NKJV).
Reflection Prayer
Thank You, Heavenly Father, for loving me. Thank You for making me new each day. I ask for Your guidance in reprogramming my mind and heart to allow only Your words to flow in and out of me. Allow me to be Your vessel that overflows with Your words and Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.