By Steve Greene

In 2007, Steve Jobs introduced his smartphone to the world when he said, “Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything.”

He was so right. Who would have thought such a small device, weighing less than 5 ounces, could have such a big impact on our ability and inability to be present with one another?

When we are trying to stay connected to everyone else, it actually prevents us from being connected to the people who are right in front of us.

Like anything, technology can be an asset or a liability. There are lots of great apps, tools and technological resources that we can take advantage of for spiritual growth. I am not anti-technology. I love technology. I have a phone, I spend many hours a day on a laptop and I am on social media.

We have internet access in our home. But I think it is wise to consider and carefully evaluate how technology is affecting our lives today. Is it possible that it is keeping you from being present and connected in the lives of the people you love?

Please don’t panic. I am not advocating phone abstinence. I am advocating phone consciousness. If there is no awareness, we’ll subtly become absorbed into the culture that surrounds us. This is just one more area where we must learn how to swim upstream against the current of culture.

Paul issued this warning in Romans 12: “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.” Instead, he tells us, let God “transform you by changing the way that you think.”

So how can we be more present and how can we learn to value presence when we are with people? There is no specific Bible verse that tells us how to limit our connectivity, but there are principles that can guide us.

For instance, in Luke 2:41-50, Mary and Joseph were traveling from Nazareth to Jerusalem for the annual Passover Festival. If you are familiar with the story, you will remember that Jesus got separated from his parents. When they finally found Jesus, he was back at the temple in Jerusalem “listening…and asking questions.” (see Luke 2:46)

I doubt many teenagers, separated from their parents today, would be found listening and asking questions. Most would be found talking on the phone, texting or scrolling through social media. We will explore this topic more next time…

Steve Greene is the lead pastor of The Point in Seymour. Read his blog at pastorgreene.wordpress.com or email him at [email protected]. Send comments to [email protected].