The Glowing Rectangle

"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything." (1 Corinthians 6:12) "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."

(Ephesians 5:15-16)Imagine you are at a magnificent banquet. The table is filled with the finest steak, wine, and desserts. Across from you sits the most interesting Person in the universe, waiting to talk to you.

But instead of eating or talking, you are sitting there holding a small, glowing plastic rectangle. You are scrolling through pictures of other people eating other food in other places. You are ignoring the feast in front of you to look at a digital ghost of a feast somewhere else.

You are physically present, but spiritually and mentally absent.This is the challenge of Technology and Media .The smartphone is the most powerful tool ever invented. It gives us the library of Alexandria, the communication of a telegraph, and the entertainment of a cinema, all in our pocket.

But a tool can easily become a master. The Tool: You use it to accomplish a task (e.g., call a friend, read the Bible, find a map). You pick it up, use it, and put it down. The Master: It uses you . It buzzes, and you obey.

It notifies, and you look. You pick it up without thinking. You scroll for an hour and don't remember what you saw. The danger of modern technology is not just that we see "bad" things (pornography, violence); it is that we lose the ability to see anything deep.

We are becoming a shallow people. We trade deep reflection for a 15-second video. We trade deep friendship for a "Like." We are amusing ourselves to death.

(Tap to expand)Theologically, this is an issue of Omnipresence (Being everywhere at once).Only God is Omnipresent. Humans are designed to be Finite. We are designed to be in one place at one time.Digital technology promises us a fake omnipresence.

It lets us be in Lagos, London, and New York simultaneously.But because we are not God, we can't handle it. When we try to be "everywhere" digitally, we end up being "nowhere" actually.The Theology of Attention:Whatever holds your attention holds your heart.

Worship is simply attention directed at God.Idolatry can be attention directed at a screen.The "Algorithm" is designed by brilliant engineers to steal your attention and sell it to advertisers. They are mining the resource of your soul.

As a Christian, you must fight to reclaim your attention so you can give it to God and the people you love. Reflect on this:Check your "Screen Time" stats on your phone right now.If you spent 4 hours on your phone yesterday and 10 minutes in prayer, who is discipling you?

Who is shaping your worldview?We become what we behold. If you behold the chaos of Twitter/X all day, you will be anxious. If you behold the glory of the Lord, you will be transformed (2 Cor 3:18). 👣 Take a Step You don't need to throw your phone in the river, but you need to put it on a leash.

The Bedroom Rule: Technology is a terrible master of your sleep. Buy an old-fashioned alarm clock ($10). Charge your phone in the kitchen or living room overnight. Do not let the "Glowing Rectangle" be the last thing you see at night or the first thing you see in the morning.

Give those first and last moments to God.