Articles
Make Good Use Of Your Smartphone
I need to confess something to all of you. I don't know my wife's phone number. I dial it at least once, maybe 4 or 5 times a day, but I dial it with one button. Since none of the private ones are still working, I'll let you know that I remember my next door neighbor's as a child, 573-2165 from over 40 years ago. Best friend's from 20 years ago, 573-4407. A company I haven't used in years, 800-868-0808, another neighbor over 35 years ago, 573-6677, the hospital 573-6374, church office 573-0154, and I promise, many more. We used to be forced to know them.
I'm confident most people would agree, the smartphone has been both a blessing and a curse. It now is our flashlight, computer, calculator, camera, notepad, our level, our compass, our GPS navigator, our library, our encyclopedia, our magnifying glass, our babysitter, our TV, and our treadmill, just to name a few. You say, our treadmill, why yes, remember when we had to get out of the car to knock on someone's door to say we were there. Now we text. We used to have to walk into the bank to deposit a check, or at least to the car if we used the drive-in, but now, just a picture and a button.
Remember when we had to get up off the floor and turn the record over to hear the other side. Oh, I'm sorry, for those of you who don't know what a record was, I suggest you Google "vinyl album". We don't even have to get up to adjust the thermostat, dim the lights or lock the doors at night, just a swipe and a touch on our phone, or we just tell Alexa. And as for that alarm clock, each night I say "Hey Siri, set alarm for 7am" and this little voice comes back and says "OK, I'll set an alarm for 7am". I'm waiting for her to tell me good night! Really I'm not sure why we still call it a phone. In my case, that's what it gets used for the least!
Now none of that in and of itself is bad. But it certainly has changed how we do things. So since we are doing things so differently in a world that is too, let's use it to the best of our ability to spread the truth of everything, especially the truth of our Lord and Savior. Make sure you have a Bible app installed, and since most of us are going to spend a few minutes on Facebook each day, let's spend some time reading God's Word too. After all, we won't even have to get up, turn on the light, pick up a Bible, or stress our muscles turning the pages. How easy is that!
In all seriousness, our changing world needs God now more than ever, and just about everyone is carrying around access to His truths in the palm of their hand. He is a swipe, Google, or "hey Siri" away. We need to use this technology to study about God, to read the Bible, and to encourage others to do the same. We need to use this as a tool to learn about God, not an excuse to ignore Him. The next time you pick that phone up to Facebook, Facetime, Pinterest, YouTube, watch the news, check the stocks, take a selfie, or send yourself an e-mail about what to remember tomorrow, don't forget it can also draw you closer to God with some of its marvelous features too!
Recommended app, GBN (Gospel Broadcasting Network) http://gbntv.org/
