Last week, I drank a mixture of kiwi fruit, banana, apple, and guava that promised “wellness” and the “balance of the mind and soul.” (For what it’s worth, I think that the bacon, sausage, and mushrooms led an insurgency against the wellness).

Entertainment is like eating. There are so many choices and everyone has a different preference. For the purpose of this post, we need to assume that you are making wise choices in the nature and quality of your entertainment. The purpose of this post is to make good entertainment even better!

What are you learning from your entertainment?

Entertainment is a powerful teacher. Avatar is an excellent example of wrapping a simple, erroneous lesson into an exciting technology. The primary value of watching Avatar is to identify and discuss the message. Other forms of entertainment can reinforce positive traits such as patience and diligence.

Would someone benefit from joining you?

I am thankful to my friends for inviting me to play golf and basketball. The camaraderie was excellent. The experience was humbling. Can you invite someone to share in your passions? Will it encourage them spiritually? I have a friend who never watches sport alone. He always uses the event to build relationships. I think that’s a great idea.

What are your loved ones learning from the amount of time and money you spend on your entertainment choices?

There are two parts to this issue: time and money. Your employer values your time. You need to value your time. Choose to spend time with your loved ones. Don’t make the tragic mistake of spending lavish amounts on good entertainment while failing to provide for basic necessities. You can’t swap eleven months of financial pressure in the home for one week of a dream holiday.

Are you improving or dreaming about the potential?

I once went to a Triton display to learn about all the tools I could purchase for making quality furniture. After the display, I was impressed with the product but disheartened by the process. I could see that it would take weeks to produce a simple box that I could purchase at IKEA for ten kronor. We’ve all purchased something with the intent of turning it into a great hobby. Is it time to put it on Ebay?

Try something different.

Two years ago, my wife and I took art lessons. I’ll be honest and say that I was the only man in the class. However, I learned so much about colour, perspective, and the process of creating oil paintings. Go out of your comfort zone and learn a completely new skill.

Here’s the bottom line: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). We are fearfully and wonderfully made. God has made us to delight in him and to enjoy his creation. How can you make your entertainment choices even better?

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About Jeremy Kwok

Jeremy grew up in Sydney before moving to the United States for tertiary studies. Jeremy completed the BA, MA (History), and M.Div degrees before returning to Australia with his wife Debbie. He currently works for Christian Education Ministries, a company that owns and operates private schools.

4 Comments

  1. Martina 18 February, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    On the point of loved ones learning from your entertainment choices, I think singular entertainment has driven many other family members to pursue their own singular entertainment… how many of us recognise families where there is a person on a computer alone in every room, or even if they are together there is very little going on between family members… actually most look rather bored behind their “choice” of entertainment… when a loved one’s attention is absorbed in the screen… what do you do?… usually facebook wins … and we are not entertained, we are simply passing the time.

  2. Alen 18 February, 2010 at 6:10 pm

    Thanks for another great post, Jeremy!

  3. robert 19 February, 2010 at 9:51 pm

    another stimulating post Jeremy. good work

  4. Matt 3 March, 2010 at 7:25 am

    Good post, Jeremy. It may not sound like much to have someone over to watch a film/show, but my family has been blessed by the challenging discussions about culture and philosophy that have sprung up from these times.

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