Choosing Well – Technology

I have been pondering this question:

What do I take that I’ve been given, and run with it, with no questions asked?

We take what our society gives us, assuming there is someone smarter, with more research, more wisdom than us, thinking they know what’s best for us. That’s what I did with my BMT doctors and I have zero regrets! They told me what I needed to do in order to have a successful BMT (and by the way, the screening process is EXTENSIVE), but in the end, they were right! I would do it all over again the way I did, because they guided well. But that isn’t the route I feel we should always take in life.

Especially with technology.

Technology is a MASSIVE industry, making more money than we can even imagine. The new iPhone 17 is currently out and costs $799. That’s for the basic model, with some of the more intricate models, costing $1,399. For a phone. You can buy a running car for $1,500 on Facebook marketplace (I checked). I would say we are just as dependent on our phones as we are on our own vehicles. But I will say, I don’t walk to my car or open its door as often as I do my phone. Think about that for a second!

Our world has given us something truly amazing in technology. A way to connect with people, learn information, navigate, etc., in a way that’s never been previously done. But now we have a problem, or at least I personally think we do. We are addicted to our phones. We have just assumed that the “technology people” have our best interest and we do what we are told – buy the iPhone, get the apps, use them, and assume they will have no lasting effect on us.

But if you do any type of technology research, you will see that anxiety, depression, suicide, sleeplessness, and ultimately our health, has declined since smartphones have come into play. And this is the issue – I think many of us are waiting for these big tech companies to fix our tech problems, but they won’t. There is way too much money invested, way too much gain, and way too much at stake for them to fully help us back away.

And that’s why we need to think twice about how we use technology. This is why we need to take charge and choose wisely, as children of God, as parents, and even as friends, to ensure we don’t just take what we’ve been given, and assume all will be well.

Think about these questions:

• How many hours do I spend on my phone (you can go to the “screen time” setting on your phone, you can find out)
• Has this technology brought our family closer together, or pushed us apart?
• How does this game/phone/computer/tablet benefit our family?
• Has this device changed our family for the better? Or has it had a negative impact?
• Has a family member lost interest in other activities or relationships because of technology?
• Are the technology devices we use in our home seen as a PRIVILEGE or as a RIGHT?
• If we set limits for ourselves or our children on a device, what is the response?
• How is this device used during downtimes, like in a waiting room or during free time?

So how do we handle all of the ins and outs of technology? Personally or as a family? How do we prepare our kids to live well? How are we preparing our kids to leave our homes with a grasp on the impact technology can have on us? As you think about yourself or your own children, here are a few things to consider:

1. Be intentional – constantly be on guard. I know that sounds like a lot of work, but when you are monitoring, talking, discussing, learning, adjusting, etc., you are being proactive with the decisions you are making surrounding technology. I think of Proverbs 6:21 that says… “Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck.” Meaning…hold wisdom and instruction closely. Think about the impact every decision has on our lives!
2. Be THE example. You can’t expect your kids to follow the rules when you don’t mimic them yourselves. When our kids are older and we look back and think, do we like what we see? We have to look at ourselves. What example are we setting? Absolutely kids will make their own decisions, but our habits influence their’s. Are we happy with what we see? Often it is a reflection in the mirror.
3. Be willing to humbly make adjustments. Technology changes just like we do. And just like our kids do too. When you create an environment of grace with yourself and your family members, adjustments are easier to make. Forgiveness and change become easier. Give everyone grace and make adjustments as you live life. Life is never clear cut. There are always moving pieces and allow yourself to be a part of those moving pieces too.

I could write several more blog posts about technology! Being in youth ministry for the past 20 years, we have seen how technology has changed our kids. How it changes the relationship we have WITH our kids. But one thing that will not change is the fact that we have technology. It will not go away. It will always be with us and so how are we going to live our lives with it? How can we hold the Bible, take what we have and hold it up to the light of the gospel?

The Bible is what makes everything clear. Let us take all of these “earthly” things and hold them up to the light of who God is, what He desires for us eternally, and recognize how they impact our relationship with Him.

Choose wisely. Don’t ever let technology compete with our relationship with our God!