Bethany Well

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

My computer loves me,

And I love it too!

Be honest, would you write out a poem like this to your lil’ computer companion (and by computer, I mean laptops, palms, blackberrys, iPhones, etc…if you’re reading this, chances are you’re reading it from the one you love)? Ok, so you may not go as far as writing out a love poem but take a moment and think about this…who or with what do you find yourself spending time with right before going to bed…AND who or with what do you find yourself spending time with RIGHT before getting out of bed? Since this is the 21^st century, I’m willing to bet that many readers would say they’re spending their last waking hours and early morning hours with none other than their beloved iPhones, laptops or whatever gadget it may be.

Time and time again, I’ve come to the realization of what our world is becoming. It seems we human beings are getting a lot more pleasure from communicating through electronic gadgets than actually interacting with people face to face. On the radio the other day, a guy was sharing how there are more texts that go out then time spent chatting on the phone. There was another time when I was sitting in a cafe and adjacent to me were four teenage boys. I was amused because one was on his phone talking, another was listening to his ipod, yet another was sending a text, and the last kid of the bunch was sitting there watching his friends (I guess he left his phone at home)! I can’t help but wonder if our world will become the world that you see on Wall-e…the part where people are strapped to their mobile chairs and their eyes are glued to their personal computer screen where they chat with people in cyberspace as opposed to the neighbor sitting right next to them.

Hm, I wonder how God feels when we have our eyes glued to our computer gadgets when He’s everywhere we go. If our time spent with God is lacking, then maybe it’s time to put our lil’ gadgets to rest…they do have to recharge themselves after all. The inspiration in writing this entry came from something I heard this past weekend…“It’s important to have a relationship with God.” Sure it’s a simple phrase that could have come out of my mouth or yours but it was just one of those “light bulb” moments for me because it made me re-evaluate my own relationship with the Lord. If you feel directionless, tired, weary, confused, etc then maybe it’s because we’re spending less time with our Creator, who as we know, has all the answers to life’s questions. As amazing as Google may be, it doesn’t have all the answers we’re looking for. In any case, let me conclude by saying this…yes, gadgets are cool and appealing to the eyes but there’s nothing cooler than the God who created us and this world. Two things are eternal: God’s word and His people…invest in that which is eternal.

Written by: bethanywell on September 25, 2008.