As the writer of a blog, having several email and facebook accounts, possessing a cell phone, two land lines, and with several apps that keep me connected to texts and various alerts, I have avoided tweeting. It is not that I have any particular bias against that form of communication with others, rather it seems that I have more than enough ways to “network” with family, friends, and complete strangers. One has to draw the line somewhere.
In 10 days I will complete my 34th year of ordained ministry, and with that continue to add to the number of times I have stepped before a gathering of people to deliver a sermon. By my estimate that has occured somewhere around 2600-2800 times to this point in my life. Although it may not have appeared so to those in attendance, I was usually prepared to deliver the message I shared with my listeners. I have learned, painfully at times, what it means to speak and have my words and thoughts praised, challenged, criticized, and ignored. Regardless of the response to any particular sermon, I know what it is like to step again before a group of people and deliver the next message.
As a result, I continue to seek to use my words, and generally the opportunity to speak, carefully. I have many examples of mis-statements, mis-quotes, and general blunders publically presented and digested. My ego has taken some shots and some relationships have been challenged or perhaps built because of the things I said, failed to say, or were heard differently. My intent has always been to encourage people to think about the important things of life with significant emphasis on how the Scirptures and the Holy Spirit impact those concerns.
Philippians 4:8 is a key reference to that perspective. The condensed form of that verse reads, “Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy – think about such things.” (New International Version) My call or intent has always been to raise the level of thought above the drivel that sometimes consumes our day to day interactions. We should not be captive to the tyranny of immediate expression that seems prevalent in our present age. We become enthralled or embroiled with some mindless comment on Facebook or Twitter which may, or may not, represent a valid perspective of an individual or group.
“News” now seems to be limited to the spectacular or to conflict. We seem to seek out controversial comments by celebrities (aka. any public personality) and attempt to turn it into news. We hound people hoping to hear a misstatement that we can use to some advantage, even if it is in no way an indication of the true feeling or belief of the speaker. We just want to create an opportunity to berate, discredit, antagonize, or embarrass a person or group. We exchange serious discussion about meaningful things for frivilous chatter about inconsequential topics.
I do not care what some 23 year old football player says about Osama bin Laden’s death, but I do wish we had a greater concern about how we help people express their thoughts about justice and mercy; or about supporting our young men and women in the military while at the same time gaining more understanding about resolving conflict without violence. I am not consumed with concern about a college football coach’s actions or a congressman’s indiscretions, but I would like to engage others with discussions about the meaning of integrity in our lives. Is it possible to redirect our interest in the words of others from seeking out emabarrassing “sound-bites” to instead establish points of contact that lead to deeper understandings or stronger relationships?
Can the “news” that we follow begin with seeking after the significant concerns of life that transform us, rather than the trivial events that simply incite us to mindless chatter? True, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy – think about these things occasionally at least and engage others in speaking and responding to them. Text, tweet, email, or post me about some of these things, and if I can tear myself away from the latest news about Lindsay Lohan, I might respond.
“You go nowhere by accident…”
0 Responses to “What constitutes news?”