Does it really matter what I listen to?

Lately I have been thinking about this topic and decided to do a little reading on the subject, just to see if it really does matter what I listen to. Here is what I have found.

First, let's just look at something that can be easily seen in a group that we know listens to a lot of music. Yes, you always see them with their IPODS and MP3 Players, and talking about the latest artist. That is right, teenagers. Can you look at a group of teenagers and honestly say that they are not affected by the lyrics. In a lot of cases you can look at some kids and identify the kind of Music that they listen to. Young men with their straight brimmed ball caps, and saggy pants and you would guess Rap. Then you see a young man or woman wearing a carhart jacket, and tighter pants with a john deere hat and you would guess Country Music. Meanwhile, there are men and women who have multi colored hair, lots of piercings, with black clothes and dangling chains, and you would probably say heavy metal and punk music.

Now, these same people would probably tell you that they are not affected by the music that they listen to. You see, the funny thing is, that they really do not believe that it has, even though it has influenced their very appearance. These are just superficial,  but, if this is the effect that the music has on their appearance, just imagine what the same music is doing to their mind. Constantly hearing music that objectifies women, about alcohol and drugs, about violence, death and suicide, and then look at the very lives that teens are living, and it does not take much looking to see where their very music bleeds through into reality.

It is a shame that such a thing could be prevented. I pray for these young people daily, that God would place a guard at the ears and eyes of these young people. God Help them face the world that they live in.