Written by Conor Sweetman of Toronto, Ontario
We’ve heard it both said and sung: Life is a highway! And we will indeed be riding it all night long, so we need to check our maps and signs to make sure we’re happy with where we’re steering our lives.
The road to sin is wide and veers off into the fast lane – it’s easy to pick up speed without realizing how fast we’re going in the wrong direction.
The vast array of media outlets around us can become a thunderstorm of distraction on our drive to holiness. The furious raindrops of notifications pelt the windshield of our soul, while the thick fog of unhealthy entertainment clouds our vision and renders us incapable of finding our way.
With such a storm in effect, we can easily miss the signs that would have directed us back onto the straight and narrow streets to our desired destination.
Movies, music and other pastimes can offer genuine relaxation and inspiration. But, in the current realm of entertainment, permeated by artists and corporations that rely on the subversion of God’s beautiful structures, we must be utterly aware and discerning – high beams flicked on.
Renew your mind through daily devotion and worship, and the wide and popular road of hazardous entertainment will begin to seem less appealing.
Our destination is eternity – this current landscape is not our home. Rather, it is the scenery that leads us there. We can enjoy the landmarks and scenic pleasures, but must ensure they don’t divert our eyes from the road.
Don’t bring the storm upon the driver’s seat of your soul unnecessarily – steer for sunny skies and seek to live in the light. By navigating the winding cultural roads with wisdom and clarity, we can ensure we don’t find ourselves at a dead end that the world argues is simply a “nice view.”
We are called to be in the world but not of it, to have an elevated perspective of the cultural landscape, where we can shine the rays of our headlights into the dark areas of culture.
Though we must be shrewd as serpents, we must also be innocent as doves. By subjecting ourselves to the conviction of the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can approach iTunes and Netflix through the lens of God’s discernment. We can turn the wipers on the windshield to ensure our safety.
Sometimes the “Hot New Picks,” though they may provide funny scenes or a nice, groovy beat, can actually be revving the engine while steering us in an unwise direction. Therefore, stop for a coffee at the corner store, stay awake on the road, allow yourself to be convicted daily by the sharp sword of the Bible, veer away from specific media that causes storm clouds to form above.
Be aware, do your research into the media you’re consuming, speak with those who have wisdom and experience. Invest in your journey – your soul will thank you. In our vigilance, and by the road signs that God places on our journey, we can approach our final destination confidently with the knowledge that He has led us.
