How Christian Values Can Ground Us in the Information Age

Nowadays, it seems change is the “new normal.” Following the undulance of the COVID outbreak, we seem to be bracing for whatever is coming around the corner. All you have to do is look at the news cycle to understand the frenetic pace of the cultural moment. 

We rocket from one breaking news story to the next. Now that the election is over, it’s on to who will be a part of the new administration and speculation about how those choices will affect everything from the housing market to healthcare to the business environment. 

It is truly dizzying to try and keep up with it all. Just as soon as it seems like you have a handle on all that’s going on, it changes. This phenomenon is made possible by the unprecedented access we have to information. Comparatively recent technological advancements mean that we have constant access to a glut of information. 

But the truth is that it’s too much for us to take in. So, instead, we often turn to research and expert opinions as we try to make sense of what is going on.  This leaves us bombarded by various perspectives from influencers and experts, poll results, and news coverage, each aimed at giving people a deeper, more-informed perspective on the uncertainties of the day. 

Despite unprecedented access to curated “expert” information, more and more people feel uniformed and overwhelmed. Oftentimes, we may not actually feel better when we arrive at a so-called better understanding of the situation. Or frankly, we may not really appreciate the outlook that results from this better understanding. 

That may not be an accident. The harsh reality underlying the information industry is that the information we see often is not actually in our best interest. Don’t misunderstand: Information is an industry. The point isn’t to give you comfort or encouragement. Its real purpose is to attract as many eyes as possible, meaning we may be consuming information that is, at its root, designed to cause turmoil. 

There is, however, another way to engage with the world. One that leaves us informed without being deformed by the glut of information. It comes when we focus on two central tenets of the Christian faith: God’s sovereignty and the locus of our hope. 

First, we must focus on God’s sovereignty. One of the great promises of Christianity is that God is in control. He holds the entire world in His hands and nothing escapes His notice. Please allow that to sink in. So much of the anxiety and stress that surrounds the uncertainty of the world today arises because we do not know the outcome.

That makes sense for those who live without a robust sense of God’s loving care for the world. But, as Christians, we know that God is not surprised by anything. Nothing catches Him off guard. That truth should give us a confidence and peace that the world cannot understand. We should be able to face political and economic chaos with grace and tranquility that transcend this world. And we should do this because our God transcends this world.

A deep understanding of God’s sovereignty naturally informs a Biblical perspective on hope. As citizens of heaven, this world is not our ultimate home. We are promised that something different and far better is yet to come. That means we do not need to get drawn into all the worry and chaos that plagues our nation today.

That, however, does not mean we are free to simply naively bury our heads in the sand. No, instead, we are to engage differently. In Jeremiah 29:7, God tells His people to seek the good of the city where they are. Context is important here. At this point, the people of Israel are in captivity in Babylon. They are undergoing unimaginable uncertainty and suffering and yet God tells them to engage and invest in meaningful and impactful ways.

The same should be true of us today. While it isn’t always within our power to improve the election or the economy, we can live in such a way that demonstrates the resilient hope which is at the very center of Christian ethics. The central message of the Christian faith is to love God and our neighbor in everything we say, do, and think.

This focus on God’s sovereignty and the resulting hope frees us from the discouraging and defeating information loop we are so prone to get caught in. With this freedom, we can go out and make a positive, meaningful impact on those around us. To give them confidence that we are trustworthy and safe in a world that tries every day to monetize our fear and uncertainty.