The Past
I remember in elementary school that we had two computers in the library, and you could input some commands and computer code by which you could “draw” a picture on the screen. Although you could tell what the picture was, the big blocks that made the picture were definitely not “high resolution”. Keri, my wife, remembers being in elementary school and having to memorize her multiplication facts. The teacher would tell them, “You aren’t going to have something with you all the time that will multiply for you.” Oh, little did that teacher know that what we have with us all the time can multiply, but it can also lookup other facts, allow you to watch TV, monitor your heart rate, and much more.
The Good
Since my elementary school days of the late 1970s and early 1980s, computers and technology have come a long way. And in many ways technology has proven very beneficial. I am no longer tethered to a cord after dialing several numbers if I want to talk to someone. I can speak to my phone, “call Keri” and I am connected with her no matter where each of us is. I can check sports scores instantly instead of waiting until the next morning to see if my favorite team won via the newspaper. Technology is helpful.
The Bad
However, in many other ways technology is harmful. Sports, TV, movies, and games are always accessible via your phone or other technology. A 30-minute show or a “quick” check of the score can lead to hours of being in front of a screen. This increased screen time cuts into face-to-face interactions with people, and it distracts us from what is really important.
What used to be found in certain places, can now be viewed wherever you are. With technology you can speak to people you probably wouldn’t have otherwise, you can view things you might not have otherwise, and you find things that could have possibly remained hidden.
Questions to Ask
Technology itself is not good/moral or bad/immoral. However, how we use technology can produce good or bad results. Here are a few questions to help you examine your use of technology:
- How much time did I spend yesterday/this past week in front of a screen?
- How much time did I spend yesterday/this past week reading my Bible?
- When is the last time I sat down with someone face to face and had a deep conversation?
- When I am using technology am I applying Philippians 4:8 – thinking on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy?
Use technology to help you with life, but be in control of when and how you are using it. Don’t let technology hinder you and control your life.
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