As people, (and especially young adolescent males), do more gaming, and less reading, we are actually becoming more stupid. This is not my assessment, but comes from the “all the news that’s fit to print” New York Times!

Monday’s New York Times Magazine (April 8, 2012) cover story is entitled—“The Hyperaddictive, Time-Sucking, Relationship-Busting, Mind-Crushing Power and Allure of Silly Digital Games.” Quite a title!

The article, by Sam Anderson, is about how time-wasting video games jumped into our pockets and took over our lives. Today, says Anderson, we are living in “a world of stupid games.” Only, he says, digitization has taken this to a whole new level.

The games, (from Tetris to Angry Birds), exert an amazing power over millions of people. He describes it as “an opium kind of power.” The iPhone, and iPad and other “smart” tools accelerate the “gamification of America.” With digitization, these games become instantly available all the time. They push their way through the cracks of our lives becoming a “filler” for our spare moments.

As people, (and especially young adolescent males), do more gaming, and less reading, we are actually becoming more stupid.

This is not my assessment, but comes from the “all the news that’s fit to print” New York Times!

I have to admit, l am tempted by all kinds of things, but digital games is not one of them. Perhaps that is because I grew up in the pre-digital age.

Occasionally I wish I had more time to watch TV, but I don’t. Or I wish there was more time for a movie. But there are too many other things—from books to keep up with, things to write, friends to visit, my daughter’s softball games to attend, etc.. But I never wish I had more time for digital games. For one, I enjoy people too much. If I am going to play a game, I want to play it with a real person, face to face.

That dates me, I know.

I also remember hearing others tell me what it takes to be a Christian leader. I hear the advice of men like D.A. Carson and Oswald Sanders in my ears. They said something to the effect that if you want to be a leader, while other people are wasting away their time, you must discipline yourself to make your minutes count. You must use your time more wisely. They admonished us to read more, to pray more, to create time for the people we love, and to live in the real world and make a difference.

Watch out for time wasters. It is easy to waste an inordinate amount of time on the internet, and to get lost in a digital wasteland. It is easy to spend hours gaming on our tech tools that could have been invested better elsewhere.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.”

Great advice.

But more important, God requires that we be good stewards of all his gifts—including time (1 Corinthians 4.2). He says in his Word, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5.15,16).

Some of us give up things during the season of Lent to concentrate our lives. But perhaps it’s time to give up something AFTER Lent—in this season of Resurrection. Living as resurrection people, perhaps we ought to consider giving up some of those hyper addictive, time-sucking relationship-busting, mind-crushing digital games. At least take some time to think about it.

Dr. Don Sweeting is the president of the Orlando Campus of Reformed Theological Seminary and professor of church history. He is an ordained minister of the word in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC). This article is taken from his blog, What Is The Chief End of Man, and is used with permission.