Wake Up, Look Up

Hello, everyone. Thanks for listening to Wake Up, Look Up, a podcast where we connect events happening in real time to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm Zach Weihrauch. In today's episode, we're talking about stopping the slop, and we're asking the question, can we set our minds free? This is prompted by an article in the New York Times by Emma Goldberg called living the slop life.

A slop in this con in this context is a concept. It means a kind of oversaturation, a a a deluge of information, of pictures, images, fashion, food. It's the idea that in our culture, everything is expected to move so quickly that one thing is so quickly replaced by another. One day you're scrolling and the trend in fashion is this. The next day, it's that.

The cool thing to eat is this. The next day, it's that. It can feel overwhelming, and it's constantly aiming at our craving for something new. We are prioritizing efficiency and volume over actual substance and creativity. And as a result, we're often left with a kind of emotional detachment.

We never get too attached to anything because something else is coming pretty quickly, and we experience a kind of cognitive fatigue. We're we're so overwhelmed with information that we don't really lock in to anything. In fact, social scientists are telling us the consequence of this slop is that we're reducing in our attention and in our memory. My guess is you don't need studies to tell you that. You already know.

Your attention span is getting shorter and shorter and shorter. I know that because so is mine. People are starting to push back. We've covered this before on wake up, look up, but there's what's called a de influencing trend, which is people looking to separate themselves from influencers. Of course, you might argue that's just slop in a different flavor and different form.

So listen. If you feel like you're constantly being bombarded by social media, fashion, food, trends, what can you do as a Christian to reorient your mind? Well, the first thing is to see that slop is a spiritual problem. It actually dulls your spiritual alertness. That's why Paul says in first Corinthians sixteen thirteen to be on your guard.

Stand firm in the faith. What he's worried about is anything that takes our time and attention away from God and what he wants us doing. Most of us probably would would admit we spend more time scrolling on our phones than we do reading scripture, than we do in prayer, than we do serving and loving other people. That alone should be an indicator to us that slop has shifted our focus. So if slop is a problem for us, we need to start by acknowledging that.

The second thing is is that slop is continuing to isolate us from each other. We are so busy all the time taking in information from the Internet, social media, news around us that we're actually losing the art of conversation. Most of us are aware of the fact that in today's society, it's very common to see four people out at dinner around a table, and everyone's on their phone. That's because slop has actually replaced our ability to connect with each other. And then finally, if I can offer one more problem with slop, it is that it actually dulls our desire for something more and something greater.

Why bother living an adventure if you can just scroll through someone else's? So here's the thing. If slop is a problem, that leads to a two step answer. The first step is to turn the faucet off. In Philippians four, when Paul says whatever is noble, whatever is holy, whatever is pure, think about these things.

We've assumed for a long time that what he's pushing back against are rated r movies, and maybe he is. But what if what he's pushing back most against in our culture is the inane deluge of things that don't matter? When's the last time you sat with a friend over a cup of coffee and said, tell me what's really going on in your life? When's the last time you pulled out a prayer list and systematically poured out your heart to God about the things going on in your life or the things going in the lives around you? That is what you're meant to be doing, but slop takes your attention off of that.

Turn off the faucet and watch how your heart and mind begin gravitating again to God and to those around you. And then second, once the faucet is off, turn the other faucet, the kingdom faucet, on. Begin to ask God what he's looking for in your life. Begin to notice the movement of the holy spirit around you. Listen.

When you die, you are not gonna remember 99% of the things you scrolled through on your phone, but you are gonna want that time back. You are not a victim. I am not a prisoner. Turn off the slop and turn on the faucet of the kingdom and watch how your life becomes alive again with meaning and purpose and with the presence and work of God. You were meant for more than slop.

Now decide you want more. Hey. Thanks for watching this episode of Wake Up, Look Up. If you enjoyed it, please help us get the word out by sharing it with someone you think might benefit from it. And while you're here, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get further content or even download the CCC app where you'll find even more resources to help you grow in your faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.

Have an article you’d like Pastor Zach to discuss? Email us at wakeup@ccchapel.com!