I generally like news and Information. I like news that’s important for me to know, sprinkled with a very tiny bit of fluff. I like local news, national and world news, and local and not-so-local weather (I have 4 weather apps on my phone).
But, most days for the past year, I catch the news basics…then turn it off! Some days I don’t even catch the basics….I check the weather on my phone, and move on. Why? Because I find that when I stick to the basics, I don’t get the emotion-laden debates and opinions, or the full amount of hypocrisy and lying reported on by today’s news media. I also don’t get a head full of stories I have no reason or need to know about, like every murder, accident, or “fluff” story that happens somewhere in the world. No matter how sensational, outlandish or sweet the story happens to be, I don’t need to know about all of it, and you probably don’t either. And like me, you might find yourself much happier without it!
In the past two weeks, the news has contained much-needed warnings about a hurricane, followed by the damage it left in it’s path. We’ve seen a happy story of a famous sports figure making a comeback, and good news for every Scrabble player that the sixth edition of the “Official Scrabble Players Dictionary” now contains the word OK.
We’ve also seen how one adult can claim innocence of an act he was involved in when he was 17 years old, while another adult is raked over the coals for something that may never have happened when he was 17, which was decades ago. There’ve been words exchanged over a sports shoe ad, reports of people murdered, scam warnings, and more weather reports that make us turn to Genesis just to remind ourselves that God really did promise not to flood the earth again!
Journalism’s first loyalty should be to be to citizens. It should be objective and provide facts alone, so that the citizen can make up their own minds, unbiased by the report. As we all know, we are far from this being the norm. And what I am saying here is that it’s up to us to guard our own hearts and minds so we don’t become angry, fearful, frustrated, complaining, bitter, hateful, and so we don’t cloud our minds with things we have no reason or need to know about, or things that will lead us mentally down paths we do not need to go. Proverbs 4:20-23 says:
“My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
This is what I failed to do this week, and it’s the reason I write this now. The lying and hypocrisy I saw on the news made me angry, and for a moment or two, it almost made me forget who is really in charge of the world. God is. He is sovereignly in charge of every single thing that happens, and He is working out His plans. Daniel 5:21 says “…the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.”As a Christian, I need to remember that, and not let my anger (even righteous anger), lead to sinful thoughts about part of the human race.
Like I said earlier, I’m not advocating sticking our heads in the sand. We need to be informed so that we know what to pray about, how to vote, when to prepare for bad weather, whether we should join a protest, how to spot a scam artist, and all sorts of other important things.
What I am advocating is discretion and moderation, especially if the news is preying on your emotions. Pick and choose what you’re taking in. Be picky about what you watch, and how much time you spend doing it.
In other words, be informed, and then form your own opinions. Get the facts you need, and then turn it off. I’ll end with this passage from Philippians 4:1-17:
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
