They thought they were hiding it pretty well. But like any dirty little secret, it was going to get out.

The neighbors had roaches.

[Photo by Neil Phillips on Flickr]

Unfortunately, not the “nice” kind pictured above. And it was my tenants’ neighbors, actually. M called to tell me she had seen one of those nasty insects traversing the wall between the two sides of the duplex we own. And where there’s one, there’s ten million.

But instead of taking responsibility for the problem, the other tenant tried to blame us. Never mind that the house has never had a bug problem before. Never mind that I’ve already warned them once a few months ago about keeping the house clean. They just wouldn’t accept blame.

Long story short, they need to clean up their act or we won’t be renewing their lease. They can deny it all they want to, but I know where the blame lies.

It got me thinking, though. Don’t I do this sometimes? Just like my untidy tenants, I can let myself get into bad habits. At first, I might not even realize it. Maybe there’s a particular type of book or television show I like that has less-than-appropriate content. Maybe I’ve been associating with the wrong sort of people in real life and online.

Before I know it, the words come out of my mouth – a phrase, a statement, a point of view that hints at what’s happening inside my mind. And the infestation becomes public knowledge.

It’s tempting to blame someone else. Maybe I’m embarrassed. Maybe I’m deluded. Maybe I don’t think I caused the problem. If I’m being honest with myself, I know where it all started. I know I’m the one responsible, and if I don’t take some action the problem will never get solved.

What does the Bible say about this? In Proverbs 23:7, it says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Basically, garbage in, garbage out. Before you know it, you’re living in a trash heap.

When Paul tells us, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8), he’s giving us a warning as well as an instruction. Put anything that goes into your brain through the filter of this verse and it’s hard to go wrong. Ignore it, and who knows what sorts of problems you’re causing.

I’m going to think of that verse as my “exterminator”. Any new thing that comes my way is going to have to make it past Philippians 4:8. Bad thoughts check in… but they don’t check out.

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In between raising and homeschooling four boys, being a landlord, and writing under-appreciated fiction, Jana blogs at Later…I’m Blogging.