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Hi, I'm Annabelle and I'm an addict...
I think there are two very real facts regarding life that are shared by all humans: 1.) We're all going to die; and 2.) We're all "addicts".
The first one seems obvious. We all experience death at some point in our lives. For some it's early, with the death of a beloved pet. For others it comes later with the death of a grandparent. And for some, it's a very painful experience that comes unexpectedly, taking away a loved one we did not expect to be taken. Still, we all have experience with death and learn that we too shall eventually die.
With this knowledge - the facing of our own mortality - many, if not all, will begin to consider the question, "What's my purpose?" It's a question that some people know the answer to right away, and some who feel like they never can come up with a clear answer. But, whatever the answer - clear or not - as we approach the natural end to our own lives, there's a follow up question that we begin to ask, "What did I do with my life?" Moreover, the questions are somewhat circular in nature, as the next generation - watching their elders approach their death and retrospectively assessing their life-choices - will often begin to (if they haven't already) question the purpose of their own lives.
In 1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14, we can see this generational/circular questioning mirrored in the lives of King David and his son, Solomon. King David's reign has ended and there is a brief memoriam on his time spent as a king. This is followed by a detailed description of some of the daily activities of Solomon. Solomon then, in essence, asks God, "What's my purpose?" Specifically, Solomon ask for wisdom and insight on how best to live the life that has been handed to him - that of King of all of Israel.
I'm sure many would agree that it would be great if we could ask someone else to tell us what to do with our lives. Especially those who are struggling to find a clear answer to the purpose of their lives. However, whether or not we have a clear direction in our lives, we will be taking action. We live in a communal society that requires we interact and give back. People work, learn, have families and contribute in some way to the community and society in which they reside. So everyday, you'll be doing something. Hopefully, the actions that you take are associated with that answer to the purpose or your life. If not, you'll still be doing something and most likely you'll be doing it over and over again. The actions that we take repeatedly over and over again are also known as habits.
Habit is another word for addiction. So, our society and our human nature practially ensures that we are all addicts of some kind. We spend our time being addicted to something. Getting that promotion at our job, the new elliptical machine at the gym, the cozy bar at the end of our street. In this context, addiction is merely an umbrella term for what we pay the most attention to and the actions that we will take in order to keep ourselves focued on that thing/person/place/goal.
Today, I believe the number one addiction in our society is an addiction to electronic media. Yes, I realize the irony here, but that only goes to prove my point and to show I, too, am an addict. We get all our news and information (both current and historical) from online resources. Does anyone even know what a card catalogue is anymore? We spend HOURS scrolling through photos of people we have never actually met in person, ever, and most likely never will. And YouTube is Carroll's vision of Alice jumping down the rabbit hole come to life.
More concerning, in my humble opinion, is that today's youth are quite literally addicted to electronic media. There are more than enough studies to validate my opinion. The habitual onslaught of information - both meaningful and meaningless - is rewiring their brains. It's rewiring them in a way that is similar to an indiviual who is addicted to drugs and alchol. If you have children you know they picture I'm painting here. Take away their smart tablet/phone and you've seen them act in ways that are very similiar to an individual in withdrawal from drugs and alcohol. They become very irritable and may begin to behave in ways that are irrational - but with a point; to get back to their electronic media sources as soon as possible.
But it's not just the kids. It's us adults too. When was the last time you met with someone in person and put your phone away? Or gasp turned it off completely? I'm pretty sure you won't be able to name a time in the very recent past. It's our addiction. The phones are glued to our hands. We've taken the time out of our busy and important "adult" schedule to get togther and foster relationship with other adults (the very thing we harp on our kids about and so desperately wish for them to emulate) and we spend that whole time with only one ear on the converstation and our eyes and hands glued to the screen.
Again, the timeless truth of the Bible points to the importance of recognizing your addictions. Paul, in his letter to Ephesians 5:15-20 warns that we are to be careful how we spend our time. What we habitually focus on, what we take in, will affect our actions. And our actions will determine the goals that we do or do not achieve. In short, our addictions will end up becoming the purpose of our lives. A long-time alcoholic habitually practices the intake of alcohol, their purpose of life becoming the all-consuming goal of obtaining that next drink. Unfortunately, the one outcome of these actions we know will be achieve is the eventual destruction of their liver.
The one outcome we are seeing over and over again in this electronic-addicted era is destruction of our capacity for connection and intimacy with others. Jesus too, spoke of this (as recorded in John 6:51-58). He warned those listening to be careful of what they were habitually taking in. They way you've always done it, your habits, your addictions are only going to lead to negative outcomes. In the time of history in which Jesus spoke this warning, there were so many rules and laws regarding what was acceptable in society and what was not, that it was dividing the people, not bringing them together. I propose that electronic media is doing the same. What we are feasting on and putting in our bodies is not going to help us or is good for us. It's bad wine.
The behaviors we often display in trying to achieve our next "fix" hurts our witness here on Earth. Our snappy response to the clerk at the checkout, driven by being interuppted as we scroll on our phone (the one we put in a case that has "Jesus" bedazzled on the back), may keep that clerk from the possibility of any relationship with Jesus. The impulse to answer a phone call from your child while in the middle of a face-to face conversation with your friend (that child who is an adult now, lives on their own, makes their own money, but you can't believe that they can actually make it without your help) could cause an deep riff between you and your friend, one that might not be able to be fixed. Our addiction to the Screen is destroying our capacity to form and keep true connections with one another; to love others as Jesus loved us. It drives us to do things that, if we could see ourselves, we may just ask, Who is this Karen?! With the consistent intake of electronic media as the primary driving force in our daily routine (and the associated actions that come with maintaining that intake), when we look back and ask, "What did I do with my life?" will we be happy with the answer we get? I don't think we will.
But there is hope. We can re-gain control over our actions by admitting and reconizing to what we are addicted - whatever that may be. This self-reflection just becomes another big question that we can put in before the question, "What's my purpose?" If we acknowledge what we are spending all our time focused on, we'll be able to use that information to help drive the answer to our purpose and thereby direct actions to appropriate goals. So when it's time to ask, "What did I do with my life?" we'll be able to say more than:
Hi, I'm Annabelle and I'm an addict...
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