They might seem harmless — the book we’ve already read, the online forum or message board where we “reach out,” the 5-minute video we found online, the new World Magazine comic section, the video game that’s fun and clean, a review of the latest star-studded flick, or that article on Google News about the kitten with two heads.

Harmless? Not at all. The price is the character that might have been and the competence that would have been. If we were to devote all the time we spend reading random news stories online to reading life-changing, soul-feeding books, how might our relationship with Christ flourish?

If we were to devote all the time we spend watching television to developing our talents in the areas of writing, speaking, musical instruments, filmmaking, painting, sewing, gardening, woodworking, web design, landscaping, computer programming, etc. how much more effective might we be in the Kingdom of God?

Excerpt from "Stop Wasting Time"