I am a “News Junkie.” On any given day, I will read from 2-4 newspapers, watch cable news for several hours a week, and check a variety of news sites on the Internet periodically through the day. I like to stay informed, and events and developments from throughout the world interest me.
I am often uplifted by what I read and hear in the news, especially goodhearted stories of a man helping a neighbor, a developmentally-challenged person overcoming and excelling, and of God being praised and uplifted (yes, there are such stories in the national press).
I am often saddened by what I read and hear in the news, especially by stories describing a horrific crime, national discord, corruption, famine, war, and so forth.
We cannot hide ourselves from the evil that is present in the world. We cannot deny that it exists or seek to ignore it. We cannot enclose ourselves within a cocoon. We are in the midst of the world, and an awareness of what is around us can prepare us for the onslaught and can help us shine our light with a greater effectiveness. Knowledge is power; ignorance is destructive.
We live in the “Information Age,” a time when technological advances have made a large world small. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to inform ourselves of what is happening in our community, in our state, country, and in the world at large. If we do not know something about our neighbor, if we are not cognizant of societal trends, and if we are not in tune with the worldview and paradigm of this postmodern world, how can we effectively communicate the wonder of the Gospel? And, how can we lead the church and our families through the crevices and pitfalls presented in society if we do not know the lay of the land around us?
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