What Was the Biggest News of 2013?

USA Today compiled a list last week on the ten news items in 2013 that received the most internet attention (total number of clicks by consumers). Here they are:

• Miley Cyrus smokes a joint on stage
• Actor Paul Walker dies
• Kim Kardashian gives birth to a baby girl
• Student wrongly tied to Boston bombings found dead
• Glee star Cory Monteith dies
• Miley Cyrus shocked even celebrities with her twerking
• Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashes in San Francisco
• Shooting rampage in D.C. Navy Yard
• Manhunt in Boston for marathon bombing suspect
• Adrian Peterson’s son dies

While some of these above stories are newsworthy, its sad when you consider that people are more interested in Miley’s free fall into depravity more than the rescue of Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus from their Cleveland imprisonment (which did not even make the list). The debacle over the healthcare rollout  also didn’t make the list, nor did the government shutdown. Also missing is continued loss of life in both Afghanistan and Iraq, the gassing of Syrian civilians, and the imprisonment and martyrdom of Christians in places like Iran and Egypt. 

I can’t help but wonder if Jesus were walking the earth today if anything from his life or teaching would be considered newsworthy.

And yet, his work is the most notable achievement in human history. Think of it…God became a man! Then, that God-man gave his life in a horrible excruciating death in order to reconcile people to himself. Then…he conquered death and rose from the grave!

But I’m not sure if we can be all that interested in Miley Cyrus that the work of Jesus would get attention.

And that’s exactly why he came and gave his life…because we are in the state we are in. He died to rescue us from that empty state of frivolous existence. He came to give us life that means something.

So as followers of Jesus, let’s reverse the trend. Let’s pay attention to and emphasize the things the really do matter. That can only be done if we focus on exalting Jesus and proclaiming to the world what he has done for them.

If your clicks in 2013 were recorded and reported on, what would be in that list? What will change for 2014?