Since having made the move from Jonesboro to Paragould, I find myself still struggling find my, once memorized, favorite television networks. For example, after living in Paragould a few months now I can tell you that msnbc in on channel 40, and The Nanny comes on 54 and 55 (what those networks actually are, I'm not sure!). However, as far as Jonesboro channels go I can tell you that abc family is on 35, tlc on 37, lifetime on 30, lifetime movie network on 76, tbs on 17, and the list goes on and on. This knowledge comes from living in Jonesboro the past 23 years and nothing having changed really in those years, and having my staple shows on my staple networks that I watch at their staple times (i.e. LockUp, The Nanny, American Idol, etc).
In my teenage years, one of those staples was none other than (you guessed it!-those of you who read the title of this blog and already knew what it was going to be about) MTV! MTV (standing for music television) is a television network out of New York City who originated with the sole effort of bringing music to television. They played music videos which were "guided" by music hosts called VJ's. However, since mtv's debut in August 1981, much has changed. Now, when you glance at a day's lineup for the popular network you see shows like "True Life: I'm a bisexual". "Teen Mom", "Teen Mom 2", "16 and Pregnant", "Engaged and Underage", "Jersey Shore", "The Real World 300" (or whatever number they're on), "SKINS", and I could seriously go on all day just listing the trash alone.
What's wrong with these shows, is that the content within them is feeding the minds of our youth today. Media is the number one influencer now in a teen-young adult's life over family, over school, and over friends. What they are reading in magazines and books, seeing on television, and listening to in music is ultimately shaping the person they will become-because these things are taking the place of parents and friends and adults in their life, and essentially is the sole place they seek comfort, the seek advice, and they seek the "life lessons" that shape their entire character.
Today, while flipping channels to find some music to listen to while I got ready, I came across MTV and the newest episode of Teen Mom 2 was on. I am not going to lie, I have watched this show more than once. But the difference in me watching it, and a 15 year old kid watching it, is I don't look up to these girls or idolize the fact that they are 17 years old and mommy's. I look at these girls and my heart breaks for them, and for every teenage girl who watches them thinking "Wow, I want to be like that!" because they simply don't know any better! So today, as it was on in the background, God began tugging on my heart. I wasn't sure why, but I sat down and started watching more intently-this time, trying to figure out what the Lord wanted me to see within it.
Instantly it hit me-if teenagers/young adults had a safe alternative for MTV to go to then their number one source of TRASH I will boldly say will become obsolete and maybe we as a society will start to see a turn around in the youth of the world!
I have no idea if I will ever see this in my lifetime, but God showed me what He wants. A network, whose target is the same bracket as MTV, but is the complete opposite of what MTV provides. Think about if you were a parent and not only could stop worrying about what your child is finding to watch on television but could encourage them to watch specific shows!?
As I was brainstorming around the issue of this network all day various things kept coming to me. As far as show-wise, this would be completely different from the Christian television you find on the lower half of your channel guide :) These shows would not star an old man in a leather chair who verrrrryyyyy sllllooooowwwwwllllyyyy reads the Bible to viewers. These shows would be what teenagers and young adults can relate to and find entertaining without loading the show with cussing, sex, and inappropriate behavior.
For example, what if there was a semi-reality show (similar to the MTV show "My Life as Liz") about a young girl who daily is trying to make a difference in the lives of those she encounters. The show could follow her to the homeless shelter she volunteers at, to her church youth group where she helps minister to the young girls in the group, to school where she defeats the mean girls of the school by finding that soft spot in their heart and loving them no matter how mean they are to her, and many more exciting places. BEING A CHRISTIAN IS NOT UNCOOL! I am still the same old goofy random and spontaneous Meg that I was before having been Saved. This fictional girl I just spoke of...there are SOOOO many young girls in the world like this, whose efforts and spirit to help and to love are being crowded out by the role models that MTV is feeding us.
What if there was another show on this new network (similar to the MTV show "The Burried Life") where a group of Chrisitians go out and cross off things on their bucket lists as well, and loving on folks as they do it (which would be the EXACT same thing as Burried Life but....) then they spread the Good News of Jesus Christ!? What if the youth and young adults of the world got to see people going out and doing amazing things like that? But in the name of and to glorify God?
There are so many options for a network that takes the broken and abandoned and confused and angry and heartbroken and DESPERATE youth of this world to start feeding them HOPE, and LOVE, and PEACE, and EMPOWERMENT, and STRENGTH, and all of the necessary tools to get them off their feet and start being the change in the world they wish to see!
We can not expect children to make better choices if there are not better choices out there for them to make.
Being involved in children and youth ministry I am constantly surrounded by children like this. I strongly feel, if people had an alternative to filling their spirits with trash, then we as a world would start to see a change. There is no better way to influence an older adult too then to see a young person doing something kind or productive or amazing even! The time to do something about the state of the souls in this world is now-we can not save people, only God can do that. But we can SHOW the unsaved what it looks like for God's kingdom to be here on earth!
"The only time I'll ever watch a show called 16 and pregnant is if it stars a girl named Mary" :)
In Him,
Meg
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Like my life, this blog is in constant experiment. It is a gypsy soul looking for love in every dark corner of this world, laughter in every heart it touches along its' journey, and living life to the fullest, so that at the end of the road it can look back at all it has accomplished and say, "I regret nothing."
This is me...
- babymeagan
- With every breath I take I long to share with other's what God has done in my life and how He loves us so much. I am just an ordinary person, but God uses me to share an EXTRAORDINARY message.