I made a mistake the other day by watching the local and national news. I couldn't believe some of the stories involving all kinds of subjects. Some were serious, some were funny but most were exploitative. Yep, exploitative. Fear mongering. Hatred focused and divisive between sexes and races. The ones that were funny tended to tear down someone or some group instead of being just "funny." Needless to say, there was very little redeeming material to justify so much time wasted on my part. Why did I invest the hour plus in watching and listening to what I KNEW would be shown? Why does humanity watch and listen? What is the need or want that we choose to join in this type of entertainment (I use the term loosely)?
Distraction is the primary reason we participate in these choices. When we are distracted our problems seem less, our families look more normal and the bad guys in our lives don't seem so bad. we look for something "worse" so that our "bad" doesn't look as bad. That doesn't mean that we are any better because we aren't any better. We are who we are; fallen sinners in need of grace. While watching the news I found I exercised NO grace towards those involved in the stories. I found that I exercised no faith that things would get better. I found that I wasn't looking for the truth as the truth has long left our media's focus. Distracted, I could believe for that hour plus that somehow that what was presented was about someone else's problems. Distraction plays an ever growing part in the life of the Christian. AND it's not healthy for anyone much less the Christian.
Secondary to distraction we find ourselves engaging denial about our world on two fronts. First, beginning with the negative, we deny that this is really happening to OUR world. What is happening during our day and night is happening to someone else. Rarely do we sit back and say that what is going on is about our world. Secondly, going with the positive, we look at our lives as self righteous and "better" than them, those, that. Our self, spouse, children, school, community, state, country and, of course, faith is better than what we are seeing around us. Juxtaposing believer with non-believer allows us to make this separation. For the believer the positive position is true. In Christ we do have a better life and world. For the believer who actually reads their Bible the world is evolving just as the Bible says. For the believer, the faith exercised in their world is good and enough.
How do we avoid the distractions? First, understanding that God is in control and knows what he is doing is paramount to our thinking and believing. If we don't believe that God is in knows what he is doing and is in control, we are unable to get past what is going on in life and the world. The Bible reinforces this by telling us what not only has happened, what is happening, but also what's going to happen. There is no surprise to the informed Christian. Secondly, understanding our focus keeps us in check. We are called to share through our lives the life of Jesus bringing others Jesus. Effectually conveying Christ to the world around us is a full time commitment. So much so that when we are doing this there is no room for anything else. Yes, we work and do what our day calls us to do. Yes, we have obligations here and there. But, yes, we show Jesus to others. It's within this context that the most is made of our day and night. No excuses.
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