Infomania

May 14, 2018

 Scripture

The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the distractions of email, Google and Facebook choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  (Matthew 13:22-23 Norm’s adjusted NIV)

Infomania

My son Luke sent this “word of the day” after last week’s thought about FOMO. Infomania:  Defined as a. an obsessive need to constantly check emails, social media websites, online news etc. b. the effects of this obsession, especially a decline in the ability to concentrate.

Even though I’m no therapist, I recognize the signs of this disease in my own practices and in my experience with many of you. The terrific tools for learning about our world, connecting with friends and communicating our message have turned us into a commodity.

We need real face-to-face encounters with one another in our reality, not our curated selves as seen on these tools. We also need direct conversation with the God who by the Spirit of Truth wants to guide us towards truth, love, justice and reconciliation.

We have information overload but can quickly Google for particular information we need. Jesus invites us in this same overload to quietly listen to the Spirit of Truth to lead us to what we individually and collectively need to hear at this moment.

A Prayer for Today

God, it’s hard to acknowledge subtle illnesses like infomania. I like being distracted; it helps me avoid reality when it is overwhelming. Give me moments of quiet to hear the Spirit of Truth speaking your mind for me this day ….. For Jesus’ sake