Discernment

Today's Latest & Most Popular Headlines
(this is my selective mash-up from CNN, FoxNews & USAToday)

• Gay couples to get federal benefits
• Train derailed by boulder
• DNA frees man after 21 years in prison
• Woman breastfeeds puppy
• Giant 5-foot jellyfish hits the beach
• Sex scandals rock military top brass
• What really happened to Flappy Bird app?

• Watch toothpaste bomb explode
• Firefighter cuffed while on duty
• 'Walking Dead' zombies prank NYC
• Who really brews your beer?
• 10 places to relive Beatlemania
• Clint Eastwood saves choking man
• California company recalls 7.8 million pounds of meat
• Study: Cat bite often turns into hospital stay
• Oklahoma State player shoves a spectator
• Streaker clad in animal-print G-string interrupts fashion show
• Iran sending warships close to US borders
• Colorado teacher pleads no contest to hitting 10-year old
• Obama, first lady go out on the town
• Incest victim fights to keep offender away from child

How weird is it that all of these headlines show up together?  I don't know about you, but the one most alarming to me (and there's a LOT to be alarmed about) is;  "Iran sending warships close to US borders".   WHAT?  How does that belong in the same lineup as "Cat bite often turns into hospital stay"?


Even I'm not cynical enough to believe that there is conspiracy between these three news outlets to try and hypnotize me or to divert my attention from becoming educated about the more critical current issues.  Instead, I feel certain it's about advertising sales and keeping visitors on their sites for longer periods of time...hoping they will click on one of those aggravating pop-up ads or watch the commercials on the front of the video.  Nonetheless, isn't it easy to be captured and numbed by the information overload of the 24/7 news cycles, social media streams...etc. with so much content to draw us in.

Lord, grant me the wisdom and discernment to sift through the endless noise of today's brain-candy and salaciousness.  Provide me with the ability to quickly pinpoint (and be affected) by the events and issues that are worthy of my thoughts, prayers and actions.  Help me to "set my affection on things above and not on things on the earth"...Col. 3:2

Curmudgeon Out 

                                       "Things are not as bad as they seem.  They are worse."  ~Bill Press