Antiquated Thinking

Scripture – 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8: ⁴But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. ⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

Reflection: Here I see some guidelines on how to live in readiness. Very simply, we are to live as children of the light – children of the day. We are to be alert and self-controlled.

In our present day North American culture those are two aspects of life that are being down-played all the time. Rather than staying alert, our culture works to dumb us down. Complex issues are turned into “yes or no” responses. Thoughtful examination of the challenges facing our country is replaced by headline news. The “ostrich approach” is a popular way of dealing with much of life.

Self-control is another value that’s discouraged by the advertising power of our culture. We don’t have to wait for anything. We have instant credit and instant gratification – even if it means instant debt. The idea of saving up to buy something is antiquated thinking.

In today’s’ culture, where do I need to be more alert? In what areas of my life can I exercise more self-control? More specifically, what’s one thing I want today that I will put off until tomorrow?