Thank goodness technology allows me to craft these emails for you every week. For families to keep in touch over thousands of miles and a dozen time zones. For us to gain knowledge and information quickly. The gospel is available in a plethora of languages to an audience of over 6 billion people worldwide. This sure is easier than pulling out an encyclopedia every time your kids have a homework assignment (try explaining that library collection, hah!). Sure, technology can be great. But like everything else in life, it must be used responsibly.
In Genesis, we see that God created humanity in His own image and likeness. The Creator, made His creation, with the ability to be creative. We build, design, write, cook, paint, discover, invent and even problem solve. Look at that, mankind has also created technology. The creation, itself, isn’t bad. This product of human creativity can be used for incredibly good things. But something created for our use can slowly become something that uses us.
This isn’t so much a debate of whether technology is good or bad, the real question is “What place does technology have in my life?” Are we using it or being consumed by it? Do you reach for your phone because you genuinely need it or because you’re uncomfortable with silence? God speaks in that silence, He reaches to your soul and regularly welcomes you to lean into it and make space for Him to breathe life into you.
Do you start scrolling because you were looking for information or trying to make a connection, only to quickly fall into a pattern of escaping reality?
Many technologies and social platforms are intentionally designed to keep us engaged. Even some technology leaders have publicly expressed concerns about their own children’s use of the products they helped create. The reality is that constant stimulation can shape our habits and make it increasingly difficult to simply be still. Have you become so accustomed to constant stimulation and dopamine hits that you’ve forgotten the beauty of simply sitting, thinking, praying, breathing and being fully present?
When we aim to be more like Jesus, we can observe that He didn’t allow the demands around Him to consume His life. He made time to withdraw and be with the Father. He walked with people, at meals with them, touched people, sat around tables, rested and fully immersed himself in the physical world that God created.
Maybe the most spiritual thing you can do this week is to put your phone down.
Take a walk.
Read a physical book.
Sit outside and breathe fresh air.
Cook something.
Create a piece of art.
Have a face to face conversation.
Play with your children.
Pray without the need to document it.
Allow your mind to be quiet long enough that you are able to hear God.
We were created to create. While technology can be something truly beautiful that has resulted from our God-given creativity, we were never created to be consumed by it. God created us for relationship, both with Him and with each other. Take steps necessary to keep technology in it’s proper place in your life. Create with it, learn from it, connect with it. But then, look up. Look around, go outside, be with people, be with God. There is a real world waiting for us beyond the screen and we were created to live in it.