What's Really Important?

Last week I saw the news about a Hooter's server who was asked to adjust her dress so that she could board a plane. She did so and flew. Later, we find her on national news complaining that she was embarrassed and wanted an apology from the airline. Did the airline contact the national news agencies to tell them about this travesty? If she was so embarrassed wouldn't she have kept her mouth shut?

The problem I have is that the news agencies carried her story. It just wasn't news. It was as serious as being asked to quieten down when another passenger complains. All I am saying is, "Let's not give this fifteen minutes of fame!"

Twenty-four hour a day news has blurred the lines in what is important. Most days we don't have enough enough relevant substantive news yet, because the media must fill the time, insignificant stories make the airwaves. Unfortunately, our society doesn't even recognize that much of this is gobble-de-goop and not news at all.

Sometimes I will hear people say things that indicate they don't know what's important. They say things like, "Well, the kids had a good time and that's the most important thing." Of course, that is never true. Kids often have good times doing things that are very dangerous. Their safety is more important than their good time. I guess this is why so many parents buy their children video games yet fail to teach them some of the basics about life. Their exclusion of teaching indicates they believe it is more important that their children have a good time.

Surely, you can both buy children video games and teach them but I am finding that to be rare. Most fathers are not teaching their sons to become gentlemen and most mothers are not teaching their daughters to be ladies. I hear the appalling language coming from young people and must believe they have not been taught what is important. Amazingly, much of what I hear comes from Christian young people.

What if we had a revolution? What if we said that we will carefully discern our time by what we do and what we watch? What if this happened in the Christian community alone? Would our lack of participation cause others to take notice? Would our careful observances of good, meaningful activities cause others to join us?

I think so.