Time Well Spent

How do you spend your time? Do you spend it well, cultivating your faith and the virtues that come from a faithful heart? Do you waste it on trivial things that don't matter, on doomscrolling or social media?

Social media used to be about connecting with people in your actual life. That's how they sold it to most Americans, anyway. It used to be about sharing pictures with friends, or providing a way to send messages to people who live far away. But as time went on, what began as a sort of utility and connection service became a moneymaking machine. When you log into your preferred social media site, say, Facebook, most of what you see is advertisements. You see videos, "content," from people you have never met, known as "content creators." They seek views and likes, or attention, and use them as a way to get money. Now, sometimes you do see those things that you came there for, the family photos and updates from friends. But most of what you see comes from people who are not part of your life at all.

These tools require discernment to use. Most of the content that these content creators produce isn't helpful. Much of it is blatantly A-I generated, what many people refer to as "A-I slop," referring to the poor quality of this content. A-I writing has certain patterns and tics that mark it as the product of a machine and not a mind. Regardless of whether it was made by a man or a machine, however, much of what we find on social media is useless, the digital and mental equivalent of junk food. Yes, there are some things that are genuinely funny or amusing. Talented comedians use social media to spread their videos. But much of what we find online and are given by the algorithms is less than useful. They provide us with nothing valuable and only succeed in wasting our time.

The people who own social media companies and those who make this junk content know how to capture and keep attention. They know how to manipulate your emotions and your mind to keep your eyes on the screen for longer than you intended. It's a trap designed to steal your time. Now how do we view time as Christians? It is finite. We only have a limited amount of time on this earth. Our time is also sanctified. As ones redeemed by Christ, we can use our time well.

We use our time well when we spend it in prayer, in study of the Scriptures, or in service to our neighbor. The Third Commandment calls us to honor the Sabbath, to hold the preaching of God's Word sacred, and gladly hear and learn it. In his Large Catechism, Luther says, "Whenever God's Word is taught, preached, heard, read, or meditated upon, then the person, day, and work are sanctified. This is not because of the outward work, but because of the Word, which makes saints of us all. Therefore, I constantly say that all our life and work must be guided by God's Word, if it is to be God-pleasing or holy."

Our time is holy not only on Sundays, but every day. Every day your God provides for you; every day you have the opportunity to receive His gifts with thanksgiving and praise. Every day you have the ability to hear the Gospel that Christ has died for you to forgive your sins and make you righteous. What is better than that? Is there a better way to spend your time?

Of course we can spend our time in other ways as well. You don't have to give up all your hobbies or interests, or even give up social media entirely, to focus on reading the Bible. As Christians we are free from the Law, free from requirements that burden us. At the same time there should be wise order. Our new Baptismal selves don't want to be distracted from God's Word, even if there are times of weakness in which we are. So guard your time from those who would steal it with foolish triviality. If you must use social media (and I would recommend that you use it sparingly, if at all), set limits so that the five minutes you wanted to spend checking in on your cousin doesn't turn into an hour of mindlessness. Institute a habit of prayer and meditation on God's Word, on study of the catechism and learning more about who God is. It is much better for you than the A-I slop that fills the internet.