SMARTNESS AVALANCHE

image credit: http://www.learntotradethemarket.com/blog/
information-overload-drowning-trading-success

Aren't you glad you exist in the here and now?

I refer, in an itsy-bitsy way, to my contemporaries. Some of us may be in life's pre-departure area, ready to blast-off to our eternal home; but hey, we're fortunate to have been the front-end audience of this once spooky animal called information technology.

Remember that two-pound mobile phone back in the early nineties? I realized soon enough that I needn't put up with inefficient PLDT anymore. Recall too how you, with clenched teeth, eyeballed that strange contraption called the computer as you navigated Wordstar with its strange-sounding language? 

"Menu" all of a sudden didn't refer to food choices anymore. 

"Surfing" turned from just conquering ocean waves but straddling through a "web" that wasn't the spider's domain any longer.

"Wow, knowledge at our fingertips!" We must all have exclaimed.

Today's young people seem to have been born IT-savvy, as if their brains have been hard-wired with algorithms. While my generation drowns in the sea of new computer and smart phone functionalities, our toddler counterparts seem to instinctively know which icons to push in an Ipad.

Image credit:

 http://www.danadorsi.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/information-overload.jpeg

Given written assignments or grouped for workshops, my students just type some key words; then out tumble videos, images or words to put together a report or devour a case study.

It is true that knowledge is power. Easy-access information because of the world-wide-web and telecommunication technology excuses no one from not knowing what they need to know when they need it.

Case in point: To prepare my favorite pasta yesterday, I googled; then cooked a pretty mean puttanesca. Jack wanted to improve his painting so he surfed the web for color contrast and harmony lessons. Want to improve your English? You know where to look.

So we think we're smart―because we know so much.

The bible speaks of a time (which I believe is now) when knowledge will increase (Daniel 12:4).

Which begs the question: If today's generation is so smart, why are more and more of them making wrong choices?  

We didn't read as much texts in my time, yet why are today's students reluctant to ask "why?" and "how?" or even make an effort to analyze? Has the prevalence of information sucked them into a comfort zone so comfortable that they're afraid to wager their own well-thought out evaluation?

Information overload has also made it harder for many to distinguish between fact and fiction. Where really is the dividing line?

The bible also says that falsehood and lawlessness will prevail in our time. Matthew 24:11-12―"Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold…"

This explains why, in spite of too much knowledge, many in this generation prefer live-in and same-sex relationships. Many are mired in drug, alcohol and porn addiction.

What we need then is not more information but more of the truth to make the right decisions in spite of  info-overload.

The first must-truth: Proverbs 9:10―The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Wisdom-knowledge-understanding is a triple braided cord. It can be yours in Jesus―the Word who supersedes every information offered by the world-wide-web or your peers.  

O Lord, enable me to make sense of every knowledge which confronts me every day. Help me weed out the lies and the unnecessary from the truth and what's useful. Holy Spirit, help me to decide to go the righteous path. May I have your mind, Jesus.