Wouldn’t you like to have a filter on your brain that helps filter what is and what isn’t important? Well, you do. It’s called the Reticular Activation System, or RAS. It’s the part of your brain that automatically filters out what isn’t important to you, and brings your attention to things that are important to you.

We all have it. A mother can pick out their child’s voice among the noise of many other voices. Dad can be snoring so loud the windows are rattling, and mom can learn to sleep soundly through it; let her baby make a small whimper, and she’s wide awake. God made us this way so we could choose what we value.

As police officers, you often deal with the extreme negatives of society. It takes a special person to be in that environment daily, and not be affected. Tragically, when you are affected it is often your family that suffers. A sure way not to be affected by these negatives is to place your values in the Word of God. Look at these two scriptures from the teachings of the Apostle Paul.

Romans 12:21 – Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good. (NLT) Romans 16:19 – But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to see clearly what is right and to stay innocent of any wrong. (NLT) Good is far more powerful than evil.

If you focus on doing good, God will give you power to overcome the evil you are confronted with. A righteous person governs their life by living and focusing on doing good, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace. In fact, this is why you are called a Peace Officer.

Even though evil people sometimes do good things, the evil of their heart produces a life of sorrow and destruction. We really do reap what we sow. Remember, we get what we focus on. We can choose what we think about. God gave us His Holy Word and the RAS system of our brains to help this process along.

Lord bless,

Chaplain Ronnie Melancon

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