Apps Everywhere

The Bible teaches us about good stewardship, recognizing that God is our provider, and He has entrusted to us resources that, as it's been taught, ultimately belong to Him.  There are all sorts of opportunities that we have to spend our money, and we have to be responsible for those choices.  And, we must always make sure that we are generous with what He's given to us.  1st Timothy 6 says:
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain,
7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.
8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

One area in which Americans are spending more money has to do with entertainment, specifically these "apps," or "subscription services."  A little here, a little there - a monthly fee for one service, another for a sports app, maybe another for a movie app or two.  A premium channel on which you want to watch a specific show.  It all adds up.  How much?

Well, Movieguide reported recently that, "digital app costs are up 19% compared to last year."  Ow.  The article quotes Matt Schulz, described as a "chief consumer finance analyst at LendingTree."  He is quoted by CBS News as saying, "We’ve kind of gotten used to seeing notes from these subscription services saying we’re raising our costs by $1, $2, $3, which doesn’t seem like very much...But when you factor in that some people subscribe to 10 or 15 different things, a couple of dollars a month extra on all of those adds up to real money over the course of the year.”

The bottom line, according to Movieguide: "The average American pays for 4.5 services at about $84 per month or $1,008 annually."

Mike Ford, CEO of Skydeo, told CNET: "Most platforms are optimized to keep people scrolling longer, not feeling better about how they spent their time,” adding, “A subscription becomes compelling when it flips that incentive, when it helps users set boundaries, make fewer decisions and walk away feeling like the platform worked for them instead of on them."  The article points out that he said that in referencing possible subscription options for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.  

The website, Brave Parenting, offered reviews of various Christian-oriented streaming channels at its website.  These words are contained in the preface of the article:

Bible or Faith-based streaming services do not deserve blanket permission to consume. Our research revealed that none of the platforms offers any tools to limit usage. Therefore, all of these platforms risk becoming sanitized versions of the same problem: endless entertainment.

Christian parents must be intentional, discerning, and prudently restrictive of what kind AND how much media entertainment children consume.

Following the reviews of a variety of streaming services, the article noted some overall concerns including this one: "The number one competitor for a child’s heart is the screen. (Smart technology is not neutral!) Considering that most parents (80%) are concerned about excessive screen time, it is obvious that marketing to assuage their fears and weaknesses will drive their sales. The more parents feel good about 'Christian-content screen time,' the more they’ll allow the device, which likely has more than that one app. Not to mention, the more screen time, the less life-on-life relational and discipleship time they receive."  The website also offers reviews of individual apps.

We must make wise choices with regard to entertainment - it's important not to only examine the content but, as this website notes, the length of time spent on the consumption of entertainment.  With so much concern about screens, Americans are spending more money to engage with streaming apps that provide even more opportunity.

Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 6:12 (ESV): "'All things are lawful for me,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful for me,' but I will not be dominated by anything."  We can consider what we're allowing to dominate our time and attention.  Moderation and balance can be two important concepts, but we have to make sure that we are moderating and balancing the right things, the Biblical things, the godly things.  Thinking godly thoughts, as Philippians 4 relates.  Our choices contribute to our spiritual well-being, and we must effectively manage, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, the way we appropriate our time and resources.