According to the New York Times Netflix has added nearly 16 million new subscribers in the first quarter of 2020.[1] While social media usage has increased by a massive 21%.[2] This growth has been driven by the Coronavirus induced global lockdown. With more free time it is inevitable that we will spend more time on our phones and in front of our TVs. Don’t worry, this is not some legalistic rant, rather a plea to be wise, to be truly blessed.

Anyone who has endeavored to find a decent, wholesome, well produced series or movie for their family to watch, will know that it is akin to trying to find a needle in a haystack. Often the process of searching takes longer than it does to watch the episode! It seems that every new series, especially anything from HBO, seeks to normalise greed, deceit, blasphemy, vulgarity and sexual immorality. Heroes are no longer models of integrity calling us to something better, they are now thirty somethings who behave like stupid teenagers with superpowers. There is no hope of a better world. There is absolute cynicism to the idea that anyone could be halfway decent or have any integrity. The focus is on the self and without a Christian worldview there is ultimately only a dystopian future.

Psalm 1 has been called the door to the Psalter or, even better, the gatekeeper to the Psalter. It tells us that there are only two groups of people on the planet. The wicked and the righteous. Those who are blessed and those who will perish. The blessed man or woman is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, become deep friends with sinners who mock the things of God but rather delights in God’s truth. Make no mistake, just because we are under lockdown, you can still be influenced by the counsel of the ungodly and become desensitized to the mocking of all that is good and true and beautiful. Hollywood, Bollywood, Nollywood and Silicon Valley have a story to tell and it is not the story of the Triune God redeeming a people for Himself and giving them a glorious hope of a new heaven and earth where there will be no more sin or ugliness or falsehood. Their story militates against God’s story and the more you unwittingly and unwisely meditate on their story the more your life will be turned to chaff. However, the more you meditate on God’s law, the Scriptures, the more substance, permanence and fruitfulness you will know.

Netflix and Showmax only have half the story; we are all messed up, it’s true. They wouldn’t use the words sin or total depravity but that is what they show us. Their message is, we are all messed up so don’t stress. There is no hope of change or redemption. Their story is consistent with their atheistic, nihilistic worldview. If there is no loving Triune God then life is hopeless and redemption is not possible.

We have the bad news, but we also have the Good News. Through Christ there is salvation and forgiveness. By the Holy Spirit change is possible and there is a utopia that awaits us. Think on that!

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/business/media/netflix-q1-2020-earnings-nflx.html

[2] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1106766/media-consumption-growth-coronavirus-worldwide-by-country/