Embracing Technology or God?

Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. . . Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)

It’s virtually impossible to go anywhere today without seeing a number of people who are entirely focused on their cellphones. Whether it’s a restaurant, a concert, a sporting event, or a movie, folks have their heads down looking at the smartphone. While the ability to look up a phone number or to find directions in a matter of seconds is convenient, think of how society has changed because of these ubiquitous gadgets.

If you’re old enough, you remember when young people were advised to always carry change so they could make an emergency call at a pay phone. You remember when you called friends on a Tuesday to make arrangements for a movie on Friday, rather than calling and expecting your friends to meet you in 15 minutes. You remember when you shared personal thoughts and feelings only with your closest friends and family, rather than with Facebook “friends” and acquaintances.  There’s a funny video online that shows two teenagers who are given four minutes to make a phone call on a rotary dial phone.  They have no idea how to use it.

With all the changes in technology, we are turning into a society in which personal relationships are pushed aside in favor of an iPhone, iPad, or iPod. I’ve heard several athletic coaches comment on the fact that it is more difficult to find young people who can serve as leaders because they haven’t developed leadership skills.  They have come of age where the norm is spending most of their time talking to or texting friends via Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

The scripture advises us to be cautious about trying to fit in so well in our culture that we forget God. Our society continues to challenge us in our relationships with others and with God. The time spent using a smartphone detracts from time spent talking with a friend, praying, or reading His word. God alone can bring out the best in us, and we would all be better served if we turned our attention to God and away from technology.

Prayer: Dearest Lord, Please forgive us for getting drawn into the technology of our culture, for thinking it helps us fit in, for failing to work on our relationship with you.  Please help us to fix our attention on you. We know you can change us for the better.  We pray that we can strive to embrace you, instead of our smartphones. Amen.

Robin Hadfield