Be The Fruit

Idolatry Thursday – Entertainment.

by Bill Blair on 12/06/08 at 3:45 am

Doesn’t it seem like our country is consumed with being entertained?  I just read an article citing 2006 statistics that states that the average American home has more TVs than people, and the average American watches in excess of 4 1/2 hours a day of television (Article here).  On top of that we have the Internet, phones with Internet, radios in cars, ipods, etc…  The worst thing to date may just be these wretched blogs (that is, blogs other than this one or blogs on my blogroll). For some reason, it just seems like we can’t do anything without being entertained while we are doing it. 

I don’t write this as an attack on TV, Hollywood, or the evilnet  Internet.  I am merely writing this to call all of us (me included) to take a look at how we are spending our time.  The truth is that any medium of entertainment whether it is TV, movies, Internet, etc… can be used for great things, but much of what we consume is either meaningless or bad.  Many things on TV are just downright ungodly.  Even the “preachers” on TV are bad.  I can’t figure out which is worse, Sex in the City or Joel Osteen.  Like I wrote, this is not an attack, but I just want us all to think about what we may be wasting our time on.

Entertainment becomes an idol when it keeps us from doing things God would have us do.  Are there shows that you will not miss?  How many?  Consider not only how much time these shows are taking, but consider what could be done in their place.  How is your prayer life?  How is your Bible reading plan coming?  Have you shared your faith lately? 

The Bible says, “whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (Jas 4:17).  If we know that we should be studying more, witnessing more, or praying more and we are not doing it, then it is a sin.  Is your entertainment keeping you from doing the things you know to do?  If we are shaping our lives around our entertainment rather than serving the Lord, then entertainment has become the god of our lives.

I am not saying that entertainment is all bad, but it can and does get in the way of our service for the Lord.  Just remember, “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31).  So if you watch TV, go to the movies, or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.  This may mean watching different shows, or it could mean inviting unsaved neighbors that you have never met over to watch something.

Remember that our lives are short, and there is much work to be done.  So don’t waste your time. 

“What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (Jas 4:14). 

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psa 90:12).

Until next time, put God first and “be the fruit.”