Shiny Objects

     Admittedly, I may be watching too much television. However, I do spend about two hours each day with Bible study and commentary. I really don't care that much for T.V. but I do want to spend time with my family. I do find some of the "entertainment" entertaining but more of it borrriiinnnngg.
     Most people go stark-raving crazy over contemporary music. At best, I find some of it mildly entertaining but much of it pathetic. For instance, when I watch kids or young adults dancing in hip-hop fashion, I think of all the time it takes to learn and do that. Surely they are skillful at fancy moves. I also question whether using that much time to dance is efficacious. How many hip-hop dancers make it to fame? I would think not many. Being an engineer, I continue to ruminate: What could they have been if they had put that much effort into a productive vocation? In short, I think the typical young person puts too much emphasis on their "artistic" abilities. (That is in quotes because it doesn't seem to artful to me. Why not? Because I don't enjoy the rap nor the moves.)
    Not to pick oon rap, I have the same notions about many things. I enjoy good sleight of hand. However, if the typical teenager spent all his time on magic tricks, there is a great chance that he or she would not excel and could end up without a profession.
     One of my young students in Sunday school said that he was going to be a professional football player. Was that a reasonable goal? No. He wasn't even going to go to college. Not many recruiters select their star players from dirty sofas! Unless he was willing to give up a career, he would never be a professional football player. Time indicates he wasn't motivated to do much of anything!
     Why all these words about entertainment? I believe that almost everyone places too much emphasis on entertainers and entertainment. The amount of entertainment available today is excessive to the extent that people forget their priorities. Their attention is on the "shiny objects" of which entertainment is the shiniest!
     Last evening I watched a rock group perform. Their act was at best mediocre but their set and flashing lights were overwhelming. Because the audience saw the shiny objects they missed the lackluster performance. With all the bells and whistles, this mediocre group received a standing ovation, screaming cheers, and adulation. The crowd was hypnotized with the shiny objects. Some technician made ordinary men as gods. The crowd roared approval and praise as if these ordinary men were gods. People, even Christians, don't do that at church although many do at concerts. They see the shiny objects in deference to reality.
    God is reality. He is without Name because he doesn't need one except in special circumstances. God is Existence. There are no bells or whistles or shiny objects. God is what He claims to be: Creator, Miracle-worker, Savior, and Comforter. In the quiet of one's mind, God reveals Himself as He is. If people accept the death of the God of Truth as justification for their own sins, they are born-again. That's straightforward and non-enhanced. Eternal life should be a time for elation but we hear little adulation when it happens. For a short time some are adoring. Satan squelches that by taking peoples' eyes off Jesus and onto other things. Satan provides all types of shiny objects, the most effective which is entertainment. While people are entertained, the Titanic is so slowly sinks that no one is aware until it's too late!
     The world is the "Titanic". It is sinking, and as people are entertained, the world is heading toward destruction. That's Bible (Rev 21). Of course, some entertainment is fine as long as it's clean and not disrespectful to the Law of God. What that means is that Christians must be peculiar people. We must select our entertainment using God's Word. What would God think about the entertainer, the entertainment, and the amount of time and importance one places on entertainment?
     Admittedly, I like the sleight of hand and quick-change acts. I admire them for their talents. However, I merely enjoy the acts; I do not adore nor idolize the performers. I can appreciate their skills but I like to think, they poop too! They are not gods and I waste my time if I adore them when I could be adoring God. I can, with little effort, turn off the television at any time. I am not devoted to entertainment although I do enjoy some entertainment. Being a Christian does not mean being a fruit-cake but good stewards of our time. Each second is given to men by God's grace and He expects people to tithe of their time.
     We should make time for God but shiny objects always interfere. Scripture confirms: people do what they want to do! People have lusts of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Those desires are the "shiny objects" which hypnotize people. I say aloud, "Great shot!" at basketball games. Do I say that in church for Jesus? On occasion I do say great shot when I say Amen! If we get excited in the world we should be excited more to be not of the world. Others consider me boring but I'm just short of the brown side of the sod. God is so much important to me than are the shiny objects because He is the Light of Life! My eyes are focused on Him but Satan keeps trying to dim God's Light. He uses shiny objects to do that and pleasure is his foremost tool. I refuse to fall for his hypnotic suggestions or even look too long at his shiny objects. That indeed is peculiar, but peculiar people are not to look at shiny objects to long.