Maybe it's my age, but sometimes I feel irritated when I step into an elevator and see everyone, cellphone in hand, gazing intently at the screen, index finger moving busily in some cases. I ask myself, how did they ever live before the days of cellphone? But I guess the answer would be, you won't miss what you never had. Now I'll confess, I do have an attachment. To my computer. I would be miserable if I had to go a week without it. Unless I was on vacation. And even then I do sneak away to check my email once in a while.
So, it makes me wonder, why are we so dependent on things? For most people nowadays, it might be the cellphone, for me it's my computer, for someone else it may be a car, a hobby or a sport. The Bible warns us to flee from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10: 14). But, you say, I don't worship anything. You may not bow down to it and pray to it as pagans do, but if it, whatever it might be, is
a) something you are so attached to that you can't live without it for a day
b) you elevate it higher than God
c) you spend more time with it than with the word of God, or even with your own family
d) you crave better and/or bigger of the same - the latest iphone, ipad, SUV or whatever.
If you answer yes, to any of the above, then that thing has become your idol. In Exodus 20 :3, God warns, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." In verse 5 He goes on to say, "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;"
Let's examine ourselves. God loves us so much He is jealous of the time we devote to other things or other people. I like my computer, but I don't let it stop me from reading the Word, or attending church. If you are in church and you have to check your cellphone or send a text every minute, God is jealous because He wants to spend time with you. He wants to take first place in your life. If you let him, you'll experience greater joy, greater satisfaction, greater fulfillment than any gadget can ever give you.
2 comments:
I just wanted you to know that I post blogs every so often.. but not very often at all.. but I got on to post a blog because I felt the need to go on a rant.. about THIS very topic. It's so frustrating to me when the people I love (I know I am a culprit as well) are on their phones when all I keep doing is begging for their attention. It's hard to bring the topic of "you are on your phone too much" to hardly anyone because they take it offensively. I think EVERYONE could do better if they spent less time on their electronics and spent more time with their families, friends, and focusing on spiritual and physical growth.
Thanks for this post! you perfectly described my thoughts this morning.
Thank you, Mads. I'm hoping that this will be a fad that will just disappear in time because right now it's out of control. Women have told me that when they go out on a date, they have to compete with the cell phone. That's not right. Thanks for stopping by.
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