Leisure Time and The End For Which We're Created

"How strange, then, to the modern ear that Aristotle answer his own question, 'What ought we to do when at leisure?' with the response:  'Clearly we ought not to be amusing ourselves, for then amusement would be the end of life.'  For Aristotle, we only know how to spend our leisure time if we know what our lives are for and the end to which our lives are to be directed."  (Dunnington, Addiction and Virtue, 114-115).  

These words are indeed challenging in our current climate.  It seems as if one can easily live merely to be entertained.  We are consummate consumers, continually searching for another experience, another show, and more excitement.  As Christians we should be people of substance and depth, longing to be shaped and transformed by the Truth.  

It would be fun for us to think about what we do with our leisure time and what it says about what we truly value.  This question is more critical at a time when church attendance is waning and the amount of time people spend watching TV is increasing.  

Granted we don't want to fall prey to legalism, where we assign artificial standards and regulate other's lives, but perhaps God's grace is calling us to something more than just living to keep ourselves entertained.  

Peace.