Technaholics? part 2

Now to the other side of the issue...
There do seem to be a ton of addictions these days and technology and the gadgets it provides are not immune to humanity's idolatry. Computers, gaming consoles, PDA/cell phones and the proliferation of social networking provide plenty of modern day virtual temples of worship complete w/ priests, disciples and protocol.

Back to addictions... It's interesting how some addictions are more or less acceptable. Now this is not without reason as some addictions are more damaging and public than others. Perpetually smoking crack might kill you or land you in jail while constant "tweeting" on twitter.com will only make you unproductive and sound like an idiot. Nevertheless, it seems part of the human condition to be obsessive about people, things, and/or ideas.

What does this have to do w/ God? The Apostle Paul instructed the followers of Jesus in Ephesus to not be drunk with wine but instead to be filled with the Spirit (of God). Paul is contrasting being controlled by a lifestyle of drunkenness with life being controlled by Spirit of the living God. The point here is that any addiction, whether it be alcohol, crack, technology, ideology, philosophy, a relationship, another person, etc., is something that the Spirit wants to not only to infiltrate and ultimately overcome; the Spirit wants to totally consume us. We should consider it a grand opportunity to be released from our bondage to anything less that what is ultimate, more real and fantastically satisfying. If that means going through "the hardest 30 days or your life," it's worth it. Count me in.

Technaholics? part 1

I picked up a book on my shelf that I bought about 10 years ago at a national youth convention. The book is all about taking a break from technology addiction for the sake of focusing on Jesus. It proudly proclaims that this will be the "30 hardest days of your life."

I have mixed emotions about this concept. On one hand, it seems quite ludicrous that we'd demonize technology and the gadgets it brings as things that get in the way of our relationship w/ God. It is in some ways a very Cartesian dualistic understanding of the world where there is a very strong divide between the sacred and the secular. I wholeheartedly reject that concept for reasons that will have to be the topic of another blog on another day.

To show the silliness of the concept that technology is evil, imagine the following scenario. We should all quit driving cars because we spend so much time in them and they get in the way of our relationships that are right around us (within walking distance)... OR We need to throw our cell phones in the trash b/c we talk on them constantly and that time could be better spent in prayer.... Really??? What about all the Kingdom work that is accomplished through the ability to be transported via automobile? What about all the encouraging and helpful phone calls made on cell phones that strategically move people toward Jesus? Should we embrace Asceticism and all become monks or nuns? Or, should we go the way of the Amish? Where do we draw the line here? I have some thoughts on that....(to be continued tomorrow)

The easy way always gets harder and the hard way gets easier.

#7 The easy way always gets harder and the hard way gets easier. This concludes the “Bobervbs” for now anyway. This last one has to do with having some guts to do the right thing the first time even if it’s harder than the easy way. It’s always easier to do things quickly and not pay attention to details in order to mark a task off our list. Or, it may be easier to put off a hard conversation with someone because it can wait, but it’s not worth it. It will only lead to a harder conversation down the road.
Another way of saying this is that we don’t have time to get in a hurry and do things mediocre and half way. Instead, we should all agree to do what’s best, no matter what the cost because in the long run, it’ll pay off. It may be more difficult in the meantime but we’re in this life for the long haul. In the end, the hard way is worth it. Those hard conversations with others set a precedent for the boundaries of relationships and guide them to a more amiable and productive end.

What you allow you invite

#6 What you allow you invite. This proverb may be the toughest for me. It is similar to “leaders/moderation, followers/excess.” I think it’s hard for me because I don’t want to communicate that tolerance of an idea or behavior means I’m a promoter of it but pragmatically, I think it’s true. Example: In my line of work, students always want to see where the boundaries are. While I don’t think cussing is in and of itself a sin, if what you allow you invite is true, then if I allow it, I’m inviting it. I don’t like that. While I don’t want a bunch of legalistic people thinking that there is never a time and place for strong language and I certainly don’t want a bunch of ill informed people thinking that certain words have a moral value assigned to them by God, neither do I want a bunch of teenagers running around acting like idiots, not possessing the discernment to know time and place, cussing up a storm because it is “allowed.” So, while I don’t have a no-cussing rule, I do have conversations (see proverb #3.)

What you win people with is what you win them to.

#5 What you win people with is what you win them to. Loyalty and expectation are two sides of the same coin. People are dedicated to what got them into association with the individual or group whether it was an event, idea or relationship. The decisive factor in their coming to the relationship is what they will continue to give themselves to.

Submission is not submission until there’s a disagreement.

#4 Submission is not submission until there’s a disagreement. This is a hard one but maybe the closest to being a universal truth. It’s easy to say that one submits to authority until there is a difference of opinion. When everyone is of the same mind, there is no submission. Submission is most clearly seen during times of conflict. BTW, it’s also the true test of whether or not we trust the leadership we’ve chosen to follow.

Bobisms (cont)... the Anit Rules Nazi Rule

#3 It’s always easier to make a rule than to have a conversation…don’t do this. This is what I call the Anti Rules-Nazi Rule. Example: a handful of teenagers get sand in their hotel room b/c they didn’t wash their feet off after being at the beach. Don’t make a rule that says no teenagers can go to the beach or that no teenagers can be in someone else’s room. That’s stupid.
In other words, never make a universal rule for everyone when a hard conversation with a few (or one) will do the job. This is better not only for the group as a whole but it also builds relational credibility with people. I think it’s also Biblical.

Boberb #2

#2 What leaders do in moderation, followers do in excess. There are freedoms that the mature possess that may not be appropriate for immature or younger believers to participate in. Now, I know that Bobby is one who fights for our Christian freedoms, so this is not a blanket statement about how we should not exercise any freedoms. Instead, this proverb is about when and in what context we express those freedoms that others may not have the luxury of experiencing either because of weak consciences or age. This proverb is about loving those who follow us enough to self limit our behavior for the sake of others knowing that those who follow us exaggerate our qualities.

Bobbyisms or Boberbs 1 of 6

Over the last two years, I’ve heard my mentor/boss say some things that are both catchy and helpful. While I don’t think these things are universally true all the time (I don’t think Bobby thinks that either), there is a lot of wisdom in them. I think of them as modern day proverbs... wise sayings that describe the way things normally work (not without exception) but true the majority of the time.

#1 What we celebrate, we invite. Bobby thinks this came from a book by Ravi Zacharias. The context was a HS graduation ceremony where a pregnant girl was awarded a grand applause. The point being that the glorification of a thing makes it attractive and therefore not just permissible but encouraged. While it does take a lot of courage and determination to continue in school and move forward in spite of poor decisions, should we give more applause for a student doing something that she should have done anyway? What about all the other students who made great decisions? Should they not have received at least as much celebration for making good decisions the whole time? I'm not saying we should condemn her or ostracize her or something stupid like that. Everyone needs love, support, and compassion, whether we make good decisions or poor ones. Nevertheless, we should be sure that we’re celebrating what is truly great!