Reality, however, is something else entirely. While yes, technically, news corporations do control the news content and the dominant conversation of culture (Cultural Studies theory by Stuart Hall), we help control it.

See, while a journalist has a personal bias, they also have the bias of money. That newspaper you hold in your hands, that network newscast you watch, and that blog you read are all paid for, fundamentally, by advertising. Advertising pays the journalist, the photographer, the producer, the writer, and the bosses. Money drives the news—but not in the way you might think. Realistically, corporations do not try to manipulate the news through huge payoffs, nor will most journalists accept such bribes. (Not to say it doesn’t happen, but it’s not often.) Many journalists will not bow to the wishes of advertisers.

Advertisers want to reach the most people they can. They’ll pay more money to reach more people. So if a news organization wants to make more money, they need more eyeballs looking at their content. How do you get more eyeballs looking at your content? Have content those eyeballs want to look at. The news that is reported is reported because we the viewers have told the news organizations to report more news like that by virtue of our viewing consent.

So while we can spend hours upon hours whining, complaining, writing letters, and writing Facebook statuses, the reality is that none of it matters. If we’re going to continue consuming the content, all of our complaining does not matter. If you don’t want to hear Glenn Beck ever again, stop talking about/listening to/watching him. If you want the news to stop talking about a topic, stop reading the stories about it.

We don’t change things by complaining. We change things by doing. It’s the same across every part of life. I’ll admit, I’m guilty of this many times. I like to complain. It’s human nature. But let’s commit together to changing things. Change your world with actions, not words.

That said, it is still a beta, meaning you may perhaps spot a few glitches here or there. If you do, let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to squash them like the annoying little bugs they are. Any other comments about the redesign can be posted in the comments too.

“Look, a new star. Is it the predicted one? Something is new. Something we’ve awaited has arrived. Let’s go and see.”

“I wish I had somewhere else to put Him. Something warmer to dress Him in. But I’m so glad He’s here. I may not be his “father”, but I feel a connection with Him like no child before. The one I’ve awaited has come. Can I see Him, Mary?”

“I can’t believe it. A teenager from Nazareth. That’s all I am. Why was I chosen? I’m so glad He’s here. (And I’m so glad He’s out!) The long awaited, momentous One has arrived. Let me see Him.”

Whether the world knew it or not, it was transformed on this day. He came to change things. The awaited One arrived. Not in the way anyone expected, however. All throughout the Christmas story, we see the unusual being chosen to do the extraordinary. They all ask “Why me?” They can’t believe that a glorious God would choose them. But He did. He chose to use them to bring peace to the world. Today, He’s chosen us to bring peace to the world. We’re called to be His Marys. And Josephs. And shepherds. And wise men. And temple workers. And stable-owners. We all have a part. And we can all rejoice in His arrival. Thankfully, we know that not only did He arrive once, but He’s arriving again. His Kingdom has been established for us to work in and love in and grow in and change in. One day not too far away, He’s coming to rule His Kingdom. What kind of kingdom are we preparing for Him? Are we anticipating His momentous arrival?

Live life all year in Advent mode. Anticipating. Have an incredible Christmas in remembrance of what He has done, is doing, and will do. He changes everything.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!

Luke 2:14

Today in class we were covering the 4 Life Questions (more on those at some point in the future). In talking about what we’re called to do in life, my prof (Brad Garner) quoted theologian Frederick Buechner:

True vocation is the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.

That quote really set off a firestorm of thoughts in my head. Too often we refer to our job as our vocation. It’s not. Our vocation is the thing that deeply satisfies us in Christ while working to fulfill the needs of the world. We can look at great figures in missions and the church and see this, yes. But look at more than that. Look at businessmen and women changing the world they’re in. Video editors. Secretaries. Waitresses. Firefighters. Teachers. Factory workers. Every single one of them can do something to meet the world’s needs from their place of work.

Additionally, it made me think of something else. For many, their job and their vocation are not the same. The youth pastor at my church worked for many years as a mattress salesman while working only part-time for the church. Mattress salesman was his job. Ministry was his vocation. Every Christian has to have a job. We also have to have a vocation. And the greatest thing in the world for God is finding where the two concepts converge in our lives everyday.

What are your thoughts?