I find it easy to kill time flipping through channels or scrolling through my news feed. In my boredom or exhaustion I escape, looking for brainless stimulation to bounce around in my head.

I know there are better options, if I could only rouse myself to them.

When in this mindset David’s words are an encouragement to me: I will not set my eyes before anything that is worthless.

It’s like David curated multiple social media accounts. Why waste time tic-toking or twittering when all the great literature of the world waits at my fingertips? Why watch cat videos when I can access the best films ever produced?

I know why. Worthless screen distractions are eye-catching and entertaining. They pop-up endlessly. They take no work. I’m rewarded with an instant shot of pleasure, a sugar rush for my psyche.

The psalmist prayed, Lord, turn my eyes from worthless things (Psalm 119:37). Such a good prayer in this era in which we live. My time is more valuable than I understand, my mind more malleable.

That’s one of my prayers for the coming year—to turn from the worthless toward the good and valuable and excellent things the Lord put into this world for me to enjoy.

Psalm 101 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2021

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters