Are We Giving Ourselves Away?

I’m writing this with a heavy heart this morning. There is a war in my house for the souls of my children. The details are not for public discussion, but it’s alarming. And what is the medium by which they are being stolen? Simply put: technology that demands they connect all the time to everyone everywhere. Because of grants to the school, tablets and connectivity are demanded. I get it: it’s more money to the school, it’s the direction the world is going, and I’ve heard everyone say that. I can make excuses for my kids and myself: it’s where the world is headed, yet if I read Scripture, I’m told I am not of this world, and neither are they. That I am not to be conformed to the pattern of this world, so why am I letting the world dictate the pattern of my home and kids because it gives grant money? I’m not merely giving my kids away, I’m selling them.

This morning, I was confronted with something that I have been avoiding: am I giving my family away? In our modern age, we ALWAYS have to have information, always are connected to the news, to social media, we have alerts, and trackers on our friends and loved ones via their phones. And what is it getting us? Anxiety, depression, anti-social behaviors, and emptiness. We don’t make personal connections any more, and replace them with text messages, instant messages, and social media posts. And we are more anxious and depressed than ever before as a society.

Am I letting Technology raise my children, allowing their brains to be rewired and compelled to be on it at all times? If so, what am I going to do about it? I had a talk with one of my sons this morning about this, as the idolatry is running rampant in our home. I told him to consider what Joshua said to Israel: “choose this day whom you will serve.” The talk was just as much for me as for him. Joshua said

““Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”(Joshua 24:14-15)

If the rest of the world is going one way, I need to direct my family toward Christ. I need to choose, today, who I will serve. I will either serve the gods of money, entertainment, technology, progress, materialism, sexuality, and whatever else the world offers, or I will serve the Lord. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Joshua 24:14-28

““Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord.” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.

Romans 12

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.