The Gamer's Bane

Read: Ephesians 5:8-18

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.                                    Ephesians 5:16 

     Over the past decade, video games have taken the world by storm. Improvements in computer animation have made the video game experience more real-to-life than at any other point in history. For this reason, more people have immersed themselves in video gaming than ever before. Despite the unimpeded violence, filthy language, and completely ungodly music associated with most popular video games, Christian young men have begun to accept video game culture, as well. The pursuit of the next level in a game drives them to spend hours upon hours with their thumbs on a remote and their eyes glued to a screen. Everything else gets shut out around them as they enter the bubble known as the gaming world. They are not to be disturbed until they choose to exit or until they are pulled away from achieving dominance in their alternate reality.

     While there is nothing inherently wrong with a video game, there are several dangers that must be taken into consideration if you are to walk away from your gaming paradise spiritually alive. First of all, video games demand much of one’s attention that belongs to God. Such exorbitant amounts of time spent playing video games take away from the time that could and should be spent with God. It’s amazing how young men can find unlimited hours for video game play, but then claim they just don’t have enough time to read their Bibles or spend a few minutes in prayer. Don’t you think God would love it if you spent some time that you normally spend focusing on getting to the next level of the game on Him instead? Aside from the obvious issues, taking time that belongs to God, think about how it affects your focus away from the games. Every time you sit in church, your mind drifts to ways you can beat the game. Every time you close your eyes, you replay scenes from your gaming experiences. Those are times that God could use to speak with you; instead, the video games have taken His place. Another danger of video games is their content. Most are far from pleasing to God. When you sit and listen to all that ungodly music and language or watch ungodly actions, then you become numb to the fact that they are wicked. Things that should bother you no longer do because they are so familiar.

     There is nothing wrong with a using a clean video game for entertainment from time to time, but in the end, video games count for nothing – you are not made a better person or Christian because you played them. Focus on what really matters – living for and pleasing God.

Quote of the day: “The greatest use of time is to spend it for something that will outlast it.