3 Biblical Commands to Remember in an Attention-Driven Culture
By Michael Kelley
On average, people are exposed to anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 marketing messages daily, though this number is difficult to quantify exactly. These messages come in different forms - sure, sometimes they come in television commercials or ads. But they also come as billboards, popup windows, and even the rankings on Google search.
Whether you get 4,000 or 10,000 likely depends on how long you spend each day in front of a screen, and that screen dynamic is also why the number of ads has increased so dramatically in the last 10 years. Everywhere you look is some kind of message about another show to watch, another restaurant to try, or another opinion to listen to. But while the number of messages has obviously increased, the thing that has NOT increased is the amount of attention a person has the capacity to give.
To put it another way, the amount of attention has remained the same but the competition for that attention has gone up. And that competition for attention is what seems to be driving our culture as a whole. Even if someone is not trying to sell you a commodity, they are still demanding your attention to their opinion, hot take, or current status.
All these messages have that in common regardless of what the content of the message. They are all screaming: “Pay attention to me!”
In such an attention-driven culture, it would be profitable for us to remember at least three biblical commands that speak a different message.
1. “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven” (Matt. 6:1).
Jesus knows our hearts. And He knows how much we crave the attention and admiration of others. Because He does, He gives us the warning above. Jesus assumes we will be doing good things - acts of righteousness. If you continue to read the passage, He even names these acts of righteousness - they are things like giving to the poor, praying, and fasting. But in those assumed acts of righteousness which are good things that ought to characterize our lives, we should be careful that the desire for attention doesn’t negate the goodness of the act.
We should know ourselves well enough to know about our desire for attention and therefore discipline ourselves to not make a show of these things. When we do, we can know that God sees - and that’s what matters.
2. My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness (James 1:19-20).
This clamor for attention gets very loud, which makes sense. If we are all competing for a limited amount of attention available, then we have to be the loudest voice. And if not the loudest, we at least have to be the quickest. We have to get our opinion, our response, our take on whatever is happening out in public first so that we can be first in line for the attention we need.
Into that clamor comes this command from James. Instead of competing to be loudest and first, we should be more careful. More thoughtful. More deliberate. We should be quick to listen and not to speak. We should be slow rather than quick to become angry. True enough, James’ approach likely won’t get us the attention we so desperately crave, but it will move us close to the example of Jesus.
3. Seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, so that you may behave properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone (1 Thess. 4:11-12).
Very direct words here, and yet very challenging to an attention-driven culture.
Live quietly, not loudly.
Mind your own business, don’t broadcast it to others.
Behave properly rather than being dependent on the attention and accolades of others.
Following commands like these and a host of others are part of what makes Christians different. And what drives that kind of obedience? How do we stand apart securely in a culture that is competing for a finite amount of attention?
At least one way is that we remember we don’t have to compete for the attention of the Lord. He has already stooped low and been mindful of us in our helpless estate. He has sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. He took notice of us when no one else would.
God has paid attention. And because He has, we are free from competing for attention from others.
Michael Kelley is a husband, father of three, author, and speaker from Nashville, TN. His latest book is a year-long family devotional guide called The Whole Story for the Whole Family. Find his personal blog at michaelkelley.co.
