What’s an easy way to teach anything to children? Put it to music. It just gets in the brain so much more easily. Not only that, those words will set up camp and stay a while. A long while.

After hearing a conversation about the benefits of singing hymns during devotional times, I was reminded about the importance of curating what we hear. It matters immensely to our spiritual life, our mental health, our emotional capacity, and much else. What goes in, does come out.

Does this mean only hymns from now on? No, but here are some practical ways to guard what we are taking in our ears so that we support our own health and benefit others.

• Be aware of what music is on. Background music is not meant for intense attention, but a few minutes considering what is playing and how it will affect you is helpful. Are you overdosing on a particular voice or genre? How will this playlist change your attitude or state of mind through the day? Those minutes of deliberate decision will pay off over months and years.
• Use others to help you be grounded in truth. Yes, you should speak truth to yourself, often, but you don’t have to be the only one. Include words and music that proclaim truth in your routines, whether they be podcasts or songs or sermons or hymns.
• Memorize the good stuff. The latest pop hit is everywhere and so easy to remember. Offset that easy listening with solid gold. Take some time to memorize a verse or passage of Scripture. It’s not a race, so take your time to marinade in it. The process is the goal here, not your verse count. Pick a tried and true hymn and start memorizing the verses. Sing it to yourself or sing along with a recording — just feed on the truth.
• Have a well-rounded repertoire. For those who have little ears around, check the balance of what you sing (or sing along to). Are hymns only for Sunday? That’s a fraction of the time available. If you do sing, but all you ever sing is Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and your favorite country song, chances are that’s the majority of what you are thinking about, which means that’s much of what the little minds are thinking also. There’s so much more that could be sung…even without a drastic switch to A Mighty Fortress is Our God. ABCs, maybe? Or The Periodic Table Song? You could make a song up with truths you want them to know…
  OK, maybe just expand the playlist a little.