A challenge to all believers, regarding something important

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This article contains a challenge to all believers, regarding something important. It is about how one uses one’s time, and where one’s priorities are – and more.

First, consider this version of Psalm 23:

The 23rd Channel The TV is my shepherd, I shall want. It makes me lie down on the sofa. It leads me away from the Scriptures. It destroys my soul. It leads me in the path of sex and violence, for the sponsor’s sake. Yea, though I walk in the shadow of my Christian responsibilities, there will be no interruption, For the TV is with me. Its cable and remote, they control me. It prepares a commercial before me in the presence of worldliness; It anoints my head with Humanism, My coveting runneth over. Surely laziness and ignorance shall Follow me all days of my life: And I shall dwell in the house Watching TV forever. Author unknown

Then, consider this:

• On television, people see all kinds of evils, violence and war, wrong values, wretched and immoral things. Whether they realise it or not, their way of thinking and acting is influenced and formed by what they see and hear on the TV.
• Even people’s vocabulary and tone and manner of speech, is formed by the television, often more than by any other single factor. TV-talk is mostly shallow and crude, and bad and wrong even in several other ways.
• TV-watching steals time that could be used for purposeful and fruitful things, including a happy life with one’s family and friends.
• The horrible things on TV cause mental stress which affects people’s brains and minds, and through that also their bodily health. Further: Most electronic things such as televisions, emit harmful chemical substances into the room where they are placed. They create harmful electric and magnetic fields. Add to that: Television sets are a common cause of fires at home.
• Further: The TV robs people much of the time that they instead should use outdoors in fresh air and physical activity: Walking, hiking, biking, swimming, skiing, skating, working in the garden, or whatever is available and suitable for one and for one’s family. Yes, some people try to do that also, in addition to TV-watching, but each day has only 24 hours and most of them are needed for work and sleep. The few remaining “free” hours are the critical ones, those that must be used with wisdom.

Some might say, “Oh, I only watch useful and educational and uplifting things.” But, the sad fact is that most people do not do that at all but take in whatever happens to be on. Sometimes they may comment, “What horrible dirt they are showing!” – and still they do not turn off the TV but continue watching.

And, even if someone actually watches “only educational or uplifting things”, one must always consider what is important – TV-watching, or happy, meaningful family life and other good things such a helping people in need.

What can one do, then?

To begin with, do this: Turn all the TVs and videos in your home fully off. Pull the plug out from the wall. Keep them disconnected for a whole week. Also: Do not watch television or videos during that week at some friend’s or neighbour’s place either, or via the internet or in other ways.

That week will help you to see how deeply you have become addicted to the television.

Then, when you have done that and come to realise that you actually can manage a whole week without a TV, why not make it two weeks? And more.

Now, it is not a “sin” to have a television, but most people do sin in their use of the TV. Many people watch things that no one should watch. And again: The television causes them to use their time in wrong ways, and to neglect other people as well as such things that one really should be doing.

Again, believers: Take this challenge. Turn off all television sets and similar things in your home, and keep them off for a whole week. Do not watch the TV or videos at all, anywhere, during that week. Do not watch “only the news”, either.

And, after that TV-free week when you have come to realise that you indeed had become a slave of the television, then free yourself from that.

Some elderly and lonely people might say, “The TV is the only thing there is in my life.” But, there are better things to spend one’s time on.

There are even other things that steal time. Examples of that are electronic games, and “social media” such as Facebook, Twitter and so on. In one western country, experts noted in 2015 that in some families, children had not yet learned to talk when they were three years old, and that the reason for this was that the parents did not talk to their children but instead spent their time on “social media”.

Some people have felt that the “social media” is “an important part” of their lives, “an important part of reality”. But, no. Instead, it is something that keeps people away from the important things, and away from real life. It is the same with electronic games.

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Recommended reading here at the Bible Pages.

Religion must not be skin-deep only. Believers must take the matters of faith seriously. → rba111.htm

What does the word “righteous” really mean? What does the Bible say about righteousness? → rga082.htm

Easy keys to deeper understanding of the Scriptures. → rga020.htm

Why does God allow evil, sickness, pain, war and suffering? → rwa010.htm

A study on the matter of prayer. → rba100.htm

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