Kevin Beers’ Blog

I recently read the following article from Dan Miller -

“While attending a funeral recently I glanced up and down just my row to see several people Twittering and checking emails in the last few minutes prior to the beginning of the service. It’s now common during sermons and seminars to see people with their heads down, busy passing on tidbits of information instantly. This morning I read that one million people are following Ashton Kutcher on Twitter.

I suggest that this massive addiction to information leads us away from wisdom, not toward it, creating what author Shane Hill calls “a permanent puberty of the mind.” Recognize that information, knowledge and even intelligence do not necessarily lead to wisdom. The overload of information in fact encourages the opposite of what creates wisdom – stillness, time, reflection and solitude. With the internet, TV, email, FaceBook, Twitter and cell phones, there is no waiting. There is no such thing as stillness or quiet personal reflection. Meaningful experiences and the path toward wisdom can be diverted by constant information.

I am not anti-technology. I love having instant access to useful information. But this is much like having a bowl of peanut M&Ms in front of me. I tend to eat them just because they are there. At some point I will have to remove myself from the bowl or my initial pleasure will turn to misery and sickness. And I believe allowing a constant diet of unlimited information and data into our brain will also ultimately turn from being a useful treat to something that will cause our mental lives to become bloated and deprive us of the characteristics we desire most. We have to decide when to push back from the table of information overload – where it leads to our emotional, social, philosophical, and psychological sickness rather than being a useful addition in our quest for wisdom. I have made strategic decisions to not be on Facebook or use Twitter. Not because they are bad but because I have to chose which tools that I can use effectively.

Increasing the rate of information input to your brain may make you a candidate for Jeopardy but it probably has little to do with increasing spiritual characteristics like love, trust, compassion, faith, courage — and wisdom.

Want to increase your wisdom?

• Practice reflection, meditation and introspective thinking for 30 minutes each morning. Many who allow constant input are keeping themselves in the shallow end of the wisdom pool. Don’t be one of them.
• Turn off the TV for at least two hours every evening
• Read your email at set times during the day – perhaps once in the morning and once in the evening. Don’t allow yourself to be interrupted with every new incoming message
• Spend four hours on Saturday without your cell phone or computer
• Plan one day a quarter on an “information fast.” Get away from your computer, your cell phone, TV and the newspapers. You’ll be amazed at how your creativity will increase – you may get the one idea that will change your future
• Read one good non-fiction book each month. Choose carefully from the wisdom of the ages.

Incidentally, according to a new Nielson report, 60% of Twitter users sign up and drop out after one month. And I seriously doubt that following Ashton Kutcher is going to increase your wisdom.”

After reading this article, I was lead to take a week long fast from the everyday over exposure to media/voices heard through twitter/internet.  I spent more time in silence, reading and spending time hearing the voice of God.  I’ve got to say, being away from so much information was refreshing and I felt more focused and in tune with God and HIS voice.  It will be something that I will do as a regular discipline from here on out.  I would encourage you to do the same.

As a society we are addicted to information, but starved for wisdom!

Stock market, game scores, current news, we want it–right now,  here in our hand.  We are a nation, a world, with an addiction to bits of information. We delete our bits of information, sometimes as soon as we receive them.  And even if we remembered them all perfectly, they would not add up to true wisdom, lasting insight about how to live and how to enjoy life.  We know about many things, but not things that matter, that endure.

There was once a man in this world who made an astounding claim about His words.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”  Mark 13:31

His name was Jesus of Nazareth.  He spoke of Truth that endures.  Truth that works.  Truth that will change those who learn it and believe it.

You process an incredible amount of information every day.  How much of it is passing?  How much of it is truth that will endure?  Can you tell the difference?  And most importantly, on which are you building your life?