Shorter attention spans

Shorter attention spans and long winded people. Maybe not the best combo, right? We know social media has created a shift in how much people can consume in any given time. 8.25 seconds is the average — down 4 seconds since 2000! (And yes, the year 2000 was 22 years ago. You’re welcome. 👵🏼)

Paul probably could have avoided the scenario that played out in chapter 20, but something tells me he didn’t really care that he was talking for a reallllly long time. Do you know the story?

“Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.” (Acts‬ ‭20:9)

Yes, there is more to the story and he comes back to life — yay! But working in social media, I’ve learned that there is very little you can do to keep someone’s attention for long amounts of time. Especially in the year 2022. We are living in a different time and people need to know within the first few seconds whether or not your message will be worth listening to.

I’m not recommending clickbait-y tactics and putting on flashy appearances only to get and keep attention, but I think the amount of time we have to present Jesus to others will be short and impactful. People will determine quickly if our life reflects Jesus. What are you doing with your “8 seconds?” Putting people to sleep or capturing attention to prove that Jesus and his ways are worth following?