Quality Time

by: Sara Leo

I sat down to check my email, and before I knew it, I had spent two hours staring at videos, pictures, status updates, and silly games on my computer screen. Maybe this has happened to you before. Maybe it happened today.

The Internet provides a lot of new ways to use time. It is difficult to know which
websites are worth spending an hour or two on and which would be better left “un-clicked.”
Unfortunately, the Bible doesn’t contain a “Step-by-Step Guide to Making Good Choices on
the World Wide Web” . . . or does it?

We often get trapped into thinking the Bible has nothing to say about popular culture
and that we’re on our own when it comes to making good decisions about what to consume.
But the Bible has plenty to say about what Christians should spend their time and energy
on. Paul tells believers to think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely,
and admirable. He also mentions what is excellent and praiseworthy. Unfortunately, we
can’t use this verse as a simple checklist. (What is true is certainly not always lovely
and what is excellent might not necessarily be G-rated.) We must still do the difficult
task of discerning what we watch or read. But we are far from being on our own. God’s Word
can help us navigate the worlds of technology, media, and the Internet.