At What Point...

Do we become slaves to technology?

And sports?

And money?

And possessions?

And activities?

And busy-ness?

And pleasure?

And social media?

And blogging?

Some might go so far as to say that such things are actually modern day idols--false gods.

I've just come off a week of Spring Break.  I didn't blog at all.  Got back to the office yesterday and had a class to attend.  Normally, I would have rushed to put together a blog post.  "If you don't keep it up, people won't read."  Such was the advice I heard repeatedly to be a "successful" blog.

But I was different after coming back from Spring Break.  Something happened to me while I was gone.

I spent a couple of days on a piece of property my wife and I bought in Rocksprings, TX.  The land is completely raw.  No electricity.  No telephone.  No running water.  Nothing.  Cell phone signal?  At intervals--depending upon where you stood and how the wind was blowing--literally.  No internet through the phone.  No ability to check Facebook or blog.  No way to stay connected to the outside world.

Somewhat of a detox occurred.  It was quite heavenly.

No.  I didn't hear God's voice telling me to stop using Facebook or quit blogging.  I didn't see a vision of a technology free world where people actually talked to one another instead of spending time glued to cell phone screens.  Nothing of the sort.

In fact, all I heard was nothing.  No airplanes.  Few vehicles. Not even a coyote at night.  Quiet.  Stillness.

Do you want to get away?

Yeah.  I did.

And I started to realize just how much time I spent on Facebook.  I started to realize how much time I spent blogging.  I started to realize these places were places I was trying to find some sort of worth.  (How many hits did your blog get today?  How many likes did you get on Facebook?)  Does it matter?

Not in the big scheme of things.  Such idols demand a lot and offer little in return.  They beckon with promises of fame and fulfillment, but they never deliver. 

Only One gives such fulfillment.  Not these modern day idols.  Only One isn't a false god. 

Jesus.

I'm not going to stop blogging, but I will be doing less of it. 

I'm not going to stop using Facebook, but I'm not checking it numerous times a day.

Technology and social media won't bring members to the church.  It's not likely going to influence many people to become Christian.  It's more likely to suck you in and dominate your life.  It had a grip on mine.  Perhaps it's trying to wrap its tentacles around me once more.

No thank you.