12 Reasons Why We Need Godly Men More Than Ever
by on Oct 12th, 2009 at 12:01 am
#5 - Childish Distractions are Arresting Our Spiritual Development
Though we did not ask for this, our generation has access to more items of distraction than any previous generation in history. Yeah, I know, every generation thinks that it has the toughest row to hoe. Every generation of males has had its fair share of activities to distract them from living a focused life. However, the technological revolution of the past ten to twenty years has exponentially increased the number of ways in which we can waste time and energy.
When I was a freshman in high school, the internet was unknown. I was not able to watch videos for hours on youtube, shoot strangers in foreign lands on the computer, track play-by-play results of every sports game imaginable, flip through 500 channels of cable television, think up inspiring tweets, or endlessly troll through the world that is facebook. We have inherited all of the distractions of our fathers, and then we have had all of these other items added to the list as well. I cringe when I think about what life will be like for my children!
Our generation has been overwhelmed with technology and all of the entertainment possibilities that it offers. We are, as Neil Postman would say, “information gluts.” We do not know what larger role all of this technology plays in terms of advancing philosophy or helping us define our purpose for existence, but we do not that we can see more, see if from more angles, and see if faster than any other generation in all of history.
A byproduct of such gluttony is that we, even as Christian males, are dangerously distracted from the most important matters of life. We are chasing entertainment, a good laugh, and the next upgrade with religious fervor while assuming that spiritual growth will be ready and waiting for us when we get old and attend to those things.
Now, I am a fan of youtube, play-by-play results, fantasy football, downloadable songs and movies, podcasts, 6 different history channels, some online games, and I use facebook (though I’m still not hip on twitter because I use too many characters). Any one of these items, in isolation, is not entirely harmful. We are quick to fight for this caveat. We hesitate, however, to truly accept the consequences that over-indulgence in these “harmless” activities can have on our lives and those that look to us for leadership.
We live our lives on borrowed time that is finite in nature. God gives us one youthful era in which the combination of time, energy, and enthusiasm is at its greatest. We could utilize such resources to train our minds, bodies, and hearts in order to be ready to step up and lead when the occasion presents itself or we can reach level 60 (or 80) on World of Warcraft, successfully defend our fantasy football title, get 10,000 hits on our online video, make 1,000 friends on facebook, or earn the reputation as a movie master. Most of our friends are drifting through this unrepeatable period of life amassing nothing of lasting value while they simultaneously put off investing in eternal work. The fields are ripe for harvest, but they are only interested in boasting high scores in FarmVille.
No wonder women are delaying marriage until later ages. They can’t find focused men among the sea of boys in adult clothing.
Young men of God, I feel the same attraction to many of today’s distractions like you. I am a former video game and television addict. I know all about 18-hour video game marathons and wasted afternoons of one online video after another. The plethora of sixty-second distractions surrounds all of its, and its gravitational is pull is strong. If any generation can appreciate the sentiments of Hebrews 12:1-2 and 1 Corinthians 9:23-10:13, surely it is ours.
This is why we must hold each other accountable, and stir each other to live focused lives. The focused individual knows that he cannot do it all or experience it all so he sets himself, with purpose, to doing something with excellence. The next 20-30 years belong to today’s teens and tweens who are pursuing the growth of their character, the development of the mind, and the possession of lasting skills. The Christian man who trains today could have an untold impact in his culture so be that man.