Choose From the Media Menu, But Don’t Consume God A La Carte

GrifHow we consume media has changed drastically over the last 7 years, resulting in almost a complete switch from the past. Previously what we turned on or picked up was what we got for news and information. The news topics considered most important were selected by producers and editorial boards.

Back then we had little control over what we were told. It was served to us, we received without question, and that was it. We opened the newspaper, turned on the nightly news, and we found out what was going on in the world. We trusted the source we tuned into.

Media smorgasbord
Today with connection to the internet literally 24/7, we have selectable media at our fingertips. We are in full control of what is important to us and the flavor and manner in which it is given to us. We can ignore what we don’t want, what we don’t like, or even what makes us uncomfortable.
We get to live in our own little bubble; that is good and bad. That helps feed our opinions and makes us comfortable with what we want to know and how we want to feel. If we get offended, we change the channel, stop reading, unsubscribe from an email, disconnect or even unlike or unfriend someone.

Power of the message
Of course somethings are harder to turn off or turn away from. Traditional media like billboards, magazines and newspapers have the great opportunity of giving us information or even forcing us to see things that we would not normally get a chance to see. That’s the great way and love of traditional media. It’s in our face and we are sometimes caught off guard but have already consumed it. It’s the power of the message.
I think one of the biggest examples of the change in how we consume news is the difference between FOX and CNN. They present the news from two different views, styles and information sources on the same topic. We all have our preferred ‘news’ source and some are very opinionated about it as well. I’m, however, not going to say which one I prefer.

Print’s role
Naysayers of print and traditional media have said they have been dead for years. Some have been saying it’s been dying or dead for over 10 years, yet somehow how it still keeps growing. Google recently remarked that if it weren’t for magazines and newspapers, people wouldn’t be searching as much as they do, and they love print. I get printed things from Google every week as a Google Partner. If the biggest Internet search giant in the world sends printed materials in the mail every week to their partners in the digital world, you would you think that they still value it’s role in making those valuable connections.
Of course I’m making a point about how this newspaper still reaches people each month and is a great outreach. But there’s another point I’d like to make.

Changing channels
If we get to choose how we get our news and information, our insights and inspiration, do we do that with God? If we don’t like the church, do we switch? How about you… If you don’t like the service or the worship, do you go somewhere else? If you don’t like what the pastor is talking about, do you tune him out? If it’s getting a little touchy and personal in a study about a particular topic, do you make excuses not to go back?
It is very interesting that we live in a world where we get to choose how we are served information. I’ve known some people that hop from one church to another when they don’t like just how things are going. I think we should allow God to have at us any way He chooses, and we need to be open to the uncomfortable parts rather than be so quick to choose something else. Does that sound familiar, or can you relate?
Simply put, don’t select God a la carte like we do media, news and information. Allow Him to speak through whatever form that’s in front of you. I know that when I let Him speak to me, I hear things that I need.

Share this article

Comments