Summary: Hannah's screams brought her mother running. Picking up the shaking little girl, Mom looked at her two sons. "What have you done to scare Hannah now, boys?" she demanded. "She's such a baby," Josiah said scornfully. "She's scared of a little worm." The sound of a car in the driveway drew everyone's attention. "It's Dad," yelled Jeremy. "With our new computer!" The boys raced for the garage. Jeremy and Josiah helped Dad unpack and set up the computer. While Dad read the instructions, the boys looked through the application files, searching for a game. "I don't think there are any games on this computer," Josiah complained. Dad looked up. "There probably are, but the clerk said there are also games on this disc he gave me," said Dad. "Hold on a minute." He finished installing some software, then slipped the disc into the CD drive and hit a button. A game appeared on the screen---one that featured monsters chasing each other. "Look at the monster, Hannah. It's going to get you!" Jeremy teased, pointing to the screen. "Turn that off right now!" ordered Mom. The boys howled in protest, but she insisted. "You've been scaring Hannah, and it has to stop," she said firmly. Dad nodded. "When we're born, our minds are a little bit like this computer, boys," he said. "A computer does what it's programmed to do. In a way, our minds do, too, and they are programmed by things we see and read and do." "That's one reason why we have family devotions and provide good books and other things for you," Mom said. "That's why we've chosen to not have a television and why we block out certain internet sites." "That's right," agreed Dad. He frowned. "But you boys are programming fear into Hannah. If you don't stop, I'll put some fear in you!" The boys knew what he meant--they'd be punished if they kept scaring their sister. "I'm sorry," said Joshua, and Jeremy nodded. "If you're truly sorry, do what you can to influence your sister in a good way and program good things into her mind," Dad ordered. "Now, with Mom's permission, we'll find some better games." How About You? Are you programming the right things into a little brother or sister? How about into yourself? Do you read, watch, and listen to things that program good things into your mind? Is God pleased with what He sees flashing through your thoughts? Is He pleased with the influence you're having on others? The Bible verses assigned for you to read today tell what God wants you to have in your mind. Meditate on those kinds of things. Today's Key Verse: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts. (Hebrews 8:10) Today's Key Thought: Influence others in a good way
