When I was about eight years old my parents made a huge decision in our house. They disconnected our TV and in doing so, took away our main source of entertainment! We wondered how they could be so cruel to take away the box that we sat in front of for hours and hours and hours and hours... you get the point.
Looking back I am extremely grateful they made the decision to remove TV from our house, and I can honestly say I don't miss it and pray I never will! There are many topics we could discuss about the TV and media, but I am going to focus on the time aspect.
Here's an easy way to put this issue in perspective:
- How many hours of media do you indulge in every week?
- How many hours of God's Word do you indulge in every week?
Resolution: I will change my media habits to allow for more time in the Word.
Even though I don't have TV, I still struggle to make God's Word a priority and constantly have to reevaluate my time, making sure I spend time with God in His Word every single day. There are so many things screaming for our attention. Beside the TV, we have movies, YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, online magazines, fashion sites, gaming sites, and so much more!
If you and I added all of the time we spent indulging in media, I wonder how many hours a week it would be. We all need to think more seriously about what we are spending our time on. Have we lost our eternal mindset? What is our purpose on earth anyway?
Remember that we are eternal human beings. Every one of us will be blessed for what we have done with our very short life span for the Lord here on earth.
"Only one life, 'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last." —C.T. Studd
"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14).
Wow, God says that our lives are like a mist that appear for a little while and then vanish. With such a short time here on earth, we need to use the time we do have for things that would honor and please God. I know God gave us the Bible as a personal letter from Him, giving us instruction, wisdom, and guidance. Have you spent time studying the Word and learning what God has to say? Do you desire to get to know God through his Word?
It's a fresh new year, and there is time to change your media habits now. Don't let Satan convince you to use media to waste your life away. Every minute of your life is a gift from God, and we should use it all wisely.
Contributed by Bethany Baird
