Spending Information

Do you ever notice when you’re out driving, walking or biking, the other people passing by? Do you ever soak in their face and wonder what their life is like?

A man walking down the street carrying a back pack.

A woman out for an evening run.

Despite the obvious fact that we know nothing about them other then they are just people, do you ever pause to consider what they might need?

I was sitting and pondering last night on my way to the library this very thing. As bloggers and writers, let’s be honest. We tend to spend quite a bit of time in front of the screen.

I admit, Sarah Mae’s post on Tuesday got my own wheels spinning. It also made me stretch my own thinking a bit further.

Our Responsibility

As readers, or consumers (who consume information put out by others), we have a responsibility with the information that we learn. It isn’t to merely stuff it into the back of our brain as we nod and say, “Oh this is good. So true. Yes, I totally agree”, and leave it there. What good is that?

As writers, we have a responsibility to be authentic and write with integrity. We can’t tell other people what they should be doing if we aren’t doing it. Certainly we can learn with others and grow as we write, but we should never write about things that we aren’t doing or aren’t willing to strive for ourselves.

We also have a responsibility to guard our time.

We can only write {well} what we’ve truly lived. We can only live if we’re not constantly writing.

Furthermore, bouncing around the net, reading and absorbing massive amounts of information that we do nothing with is useless. It doesn’t do us any good whatsoever.

What have we gained? Did we act on living a more disciplined life after reading that post on being disciplined? Did we act on how to make a menu and save money after reading that post on menu making to save money?

Take an idea, and work it into your life.

Spend That Information

Those people passing by on the street? God knows them. He wants us to know them, too. Those children over in Africa who are starving to death? They need food. Plain and simple. They need education so they don’t grow up to raise a family in poverty, too. The people of Asia? Some of the most remote parts of the world, and they have never heard the name Jesus Christ. Ever.

What do we do with that now that we know about it?

There is something for everyone. There is plenty of need to go around. How are we going to spend the information we have gained?

Those of you who are wives and/or mothers, those needs stare you in the face every single day.

What are we doing with the posts that teach us how to disciple our children, using these wonderful resources or those free ideas?

The bottom line is this: Take a little encouragement, or a little information, and go out and use it; spend it. Make it a reality in your own life.
Live your life. Don’t simply read about everyone else’s life. A little goes a long way.

My goal here is to challenge you, not shame you. Hear my heart. God’s purpose for you is greater than what’s in front of the screen. The screen is a tool, not an escape from your reality. Use it wisely.

Information doesn’t become revelation until it causes transformation.

By Christin, Joyful Mothering

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net