entitled to entertainment

This place is not our home.  Sometimes we forget that we should look different than the world.  Because no one knows the day or the hour that Jesus will return, we can find ourselves settling in to this life and getting distracted by the cares of this world.  Wouldn't it be sad if He came back today and we said, "I'm not ready yet.  Can you come back later?"  We should be discontent with all this world has to offer us.  Only God can completely satisfy all our needs.


I have had a growing distaste for what society tells me I should long for.  Television has been one example lately.  This is not a "Christians should not watch TV" post.  I watch it.  But lately I have wondered why on earth do I give so much time in my week to entertaining myself?  The world says, "You work hard.  You get the kids to bed.  You should put your feet up and veg.  You deserve it."  What else could I be doing for his glory instead of feeding my own self right now?


My Love and I watch a few shows together and each have a couple of our own.  Last Fall we got together and talked about what shows we wanted to spend our time watching.  We wanted to be more selective.  There wasn't much out there we even liked anymore.  I mean, what show still on the air can really compare to what was LOST?  

Anyway...society tells us we are entitled to entertainment.  Every household across America is watching TV right now.  It is what you do.  Well not everyone.  More and more I find God putting people in my life who chose not to watch TV.  They don't have TV.  And they aren't even weird.  It is hard to ignore when God repeats a theme in my life.  This repetition has got me thinking.  What would I really be missing out on if we got rid of TV all together?  My conclusion?  Not. A. Thing.  There isn't a single show that benefits my life one minute.  And this answer was discovered after our selective TV watching list was whittled down.  Maybe I'd miss out on a conversation or two about a popular new show.  Maybe I wouldn't do so well on a POP CULTURE category if I were a contestant on  Jeopardy (which I don't ever plan on pursuing), but other than that I can't think of anything.  Why am I being made to feel like this is just what we have to do?  Don't get me wrong.  There is a place for entertainment in our lives.  But why do we accept it as a valid way to spend a significant amount of our down time?


More and more the shows on television (and even the commercials throughout) directly contradict what pleases the Lord.  Why do I tolerate it?  Why do I invite it into my home?

This place is not our home.  We should look different.

1 Peter 2:11-12