He who works his land
will have abundant food,
but he who chases fantasies lacks
judgment. Proverbs 12:11
Let's look first at how gaming
can detract from a productive life. As we do, consider this: to the extent that gaming detracts from or
lessens being productive, to that extent it must be avoided. Tremper Longman’s
commentary on this Proverb captures the essence of the problem. Longman
translates the phrase "…he who chases fantasies lacks judgment." with the phrase "…he
who pursues emptiness lacks heart."
…The emphasis here is not so much on
lack of exertion, but rather that energy is misdirected.He goes on to say that what is pursued in
this situation lacks substance. (Longman,
274)
says that the one who pursues fantasies has no sense. (Vol. 1, 528)
Longman is perceptive in
focusing on misdirected energy rather than the game itself. Many gamers put a
huge amount of time and energy into their gaming. Gamers are seriously
committed to gaming, even if other, legitimate priorities suffer. The
comparison here is with a farmer who thinks of other ways to get money, while
neglecting his farm. Thus, instead of working his land, he schemes or chases
fantasies and ends up without food for himself and his family. The farmer may
think long and hard about acquiring money or about where he would rather be—but
he will not be productive, and he will be hungry.
Electronic media has provided
the occasion for many to be distracted from the work God has called them to and
driven by fantasies instead. You don’t have to be a hard core gamer with the
latest, most powerful computer to be drawn in. Hours can be wastd playing
Solitaire or some other “low tech” game. The danger is that the energy spent in
the pursuit of games—fantasies—will lead to a lack of productivity in areas
where there is clear responsibility.
So the issue in gaming becomes
pursuit of productive things rather than the pursuit of fantasies. Why not take
time to evaluate the impact of gaming (broadly defined) on the lives of your
children and those close to you? Think through these considerations:
In what areas is productivity being lost?
Is there a clear sense of meaning and purpose in the lives of
your children? Or do they have large chunks of time that are seemingly
discretionary?
Are there issues in their lives where they are unsettled and
troubled?
What good
things could be accomplished if less time were given to gaming?
Perhaps you can think
of some additional considerations. In any event, think these things over and
make some observations about them. We will get back to this in the next one or
two posts.
5 thoughts on “Gaming & Chasing Fantasies”
Now you are stepping on MY toes. What ARE pastors supposed to do all week? We only work one day, you know!!
Seriously, thank you for great perspectives. As usual, my mind is going broader, with thoughts of working at jobs where I daydreamed of ways to be someplace else, or of other adults who complain about getting fired when they spent half of each day at the coffee pot OR? in unproductive “heartless” activity.
I can almost see a Col. 3:23 explanation coming up in a future post.
Once again, thank you for getting us thinking correctly on these things.
Now you are stepping on MY toes. What ARE pastors supposed to do all week? We only work one day, you know!!
Seriously, thank you for great perspectives. As usual, my mind is going broader, with thoughts of working at jobs where I daydreamed of ways to be someplace else, or of other adults who complain about getting fired when they spent half of each day at the coffee pot OR? in unproductive “heartless” activity.
I can almost see a Col. 3:23 explanation coming up in a future post.
Once again, thank you for getting us thinking correctly on these things.
Is there a clear sense of meaning and purpose in the lives of your children? Or do they have large chunks of time that are seemingly discretionary?
Jay, when you said this question, it truly hit home. Recently I have been struggling with how little meaning and purpose there is in the lives of my children. They go to school, they do their homework, but when there is free time, their life is one big empty hole. They generally listen to music and just hang out. I know if I let them, they would spend the day on the computer or watching TV. They have no desire to take up a hobby, go for a walk, practice an instrument, help around the house. It seems like everything has to be assigned before it is done, and often the assignments are met with less than joyful responses. The less than joyful responses, I must admit, have caused me to ask less and less of them. Also, my own lack of discipline, “it is easier to do it myself” have contributed to these large chunks of seemingly discretionary time. I could use some help in this area.
As always, your blog is truly a way that the Lord speaks truth in my life. I always look forward to what He has to say through you.
Thanks so much for these posts (and the ones on schoolwork). Your insight is always helpful for going just one step further in instructing my children. I, too, was particularly struck by your question as to whether there are large chunks of seemingly discretionary time in my kids’ lives and what good could be done if less time were given to gaming (or in our case reading the same books again). Hmmm. I see the need to more actively promote a purposeful and God-glorifying use of time. More grace!! Thank you again. I am looking forward to further posts.
Just found this blog tonight. What a stunning reminder for parents, and grandparents, too! Time wasted can never be regained, and the examples we live in front of the children in our lives can be far more significant than we realize. Better that they have memories of doing productive, edifying things together with us than regrets for time lost in front of the computer or xbox. Thanks, Jay!