Electronic devices have taken hold of our world and have it in a chokehold, and we have no one to blame but ourselves. Here is a list of places that I have seen a big screen television : doctor's waiting rooms, restaurants, delis, airport lounges, and in the lobby of a library. That last one makes less sense than all the others.
This past week I returned a DVD to White Plains Library for a friend and I was shocked to see CNN news playing in the library lobby. Have the libraries just become a place to borrow DVD's and given up their founding role to promote literacy? I would rather have had a choice of newspapers or news magazines promoted. What excuses have we made for it?
Is it the babysitter of choice for your children? Will it keep them occupied and quiet while you drive or make dinner? Is it "de rigeur" that your teen watch a certain program in his or her circle of friends? What about sitting and mindlessly watching a show to unwind from the stress of your day? Could you maybe talk to someone and share your feelings instead? Don't know how? Maybe you have better relationships on social media than in real life.
When was the last time that you sat down at a restaurant and somebody didn't check their phones or take stupid pictures of everything? A friend described how everyone at a recent family barbecue were more engaged in their phones than one another. Is this quality time?
If this discussion is making you vaguely uncomfortable you or your children may be addicted to your devices. Some of my personal experiences make me very concerned. Children who are toddlers should be engaged in mastering the mechanics of their new found mobility and exploring the REAL world around them through sight, sound, and touch. They should have a person naming objects and stimulating speech.
What I see instead is toddlers staring blankly at screens,laying on parents laps or in carriages in perfect contentment. This in contrast to the true nature of toddlers which are best described by the term, "terrible two's." Between tantrums and pushing the adult envelopes in every way possible, toddlerhood is a time of great intellectual, physical, and emotional growth. Many parents believe that their children will be technologically and educationally enriched by their exploration of computer technology and will pay any price, whether they can afford it or not, to make it happen.
I have heard of more than a few teenagers in Westchester County being diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. And, I see so many teenagers absorbed in their phones or shut off to conversation with earplugs that it has become the norm. All of the above referenced behavior points to an out-of-balance media obsession. Yet the Bible tells us in Philippians 4:5- "Let your moderation be known unto all men." It is not so much that technology hasn't blessed us in many ways but that we must be moderate in it's uses.
If your teenager is too busy gaming to help shovel the snow or go shopping for grandma something is wrong. Are we so wrapped up in our headphones listening to music that we fail to see someone in need? As Christians we aim to be " in the world but not of it." Our lives reflect the technological age in which we live but our use of it reflects our relationship with God. Looking at my above photos shows you some of my strategies for keeping balance. One of my televisions has a "W.W.J.D." sign in front of it. "W.W.J.D." stands for What Would Jesus Do. My computer sits next to a cross reminding me that I am running this race for God, and a sign pronouncing that Jesus has called me out of darkness! Learning and using technology can help us advance the Kingdom of God here on earth but if we reflect the world that won't happen.
No comments:
Post a Comment