The Day That Einstein Feared May Have Finally Arrived!

What a title for a funny but realistic link of young people totally absorbed with their mobiles and tablets. Check it out. At the end there's  and image of Einstein dourly commenting, ‘I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.’

 

A reality?  Definitely – we’ve observed quite a few times …
+ Groups of young people in restaurants so absorbed texting who knows who ‘somewhere out there in mobile space’ while ignoring their gathered friends and even the ordered meals.
+ Romantic Valentine’s Days in restaurants with young, even older so-termed mature guys who should know better,  ignoring female companions as they busy themselves mobile texting or chatting.
+ Crowded India - young people chatting away on mobiles while weaving in and out of throngs. Some were using two mobiles – one for each ear – and even while riding mopeds!
+ ‘Double- phone using’  in Australia …young people so involved, mesmerised, busy phoning or rapid texting, snappily taking photos and forwarding them immediately with text to friends.
+ Many young people don’t talk anymore … they just text.

What a world, 2013 is! To quote from Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act V, Scene I, ll. 203–206…‘O brave new world…That has such people in't.’

New meaning for the church text?
Traditionally the church text was the minister’s sermon for Sunday. In our ‘Brave New World’ of cyberspace technology it has a completely different meaning! 

In ministering in various churches we’ve actually observed what the photo below depicts.  Teenagers and young adults, even kids, ignoring worship times and even the sermon as they engaged in their own Sunday text chats or game playing.

Recently we noted a whole row of kids studiously utilising their tablets, ignoring parents and adults around. Lost in their own little world they were completely closed off to the pastor who was inviting everyone to be involved in the superb worship. Then we heard a pastor’s wife’s mobile go off with a loud ring!

In some large churches in the States and elsewhere with-it whiz-kids message their church friends about what the speaker is sharing on. And that some ministers actually encourage this. 

‘It’s the world today, the world we live in, the technology available to us. Get with it, this is today’s highway. It’s fun to write on Facebook walls, to text and Twitter’ come the smart responses, we’re told. Needless to say, any senior raising an eyebrow and wondering where it’s all heading is regarded as an old fogy!

A new highway
Continuing uncertainty around the world causes some to think that Jesus is coming back soon - despite false prophecies and lack of scripture understanding. Therefore it’s good to remember what far-seeing Isaiah’s chapter 40:3, ‘Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road straight and smooth, a highway fit for our God.’ 

It’s great that so many pastors and churches are with it tech-wise and utilising everything available and affordable today. They have embraced the concept of a super highway to communicate the eternal unchanging principles of God. The old saying, ‘The method may change but the message - never!’ remains valid.

All mature Christians - including seniors who have pioneered the way for the younger generation in church life – should remain insightful; embrace today’s advances and resources and enter the current church highway following the Holy Spirit’s leadings.

For there’s an onus on us to ensure that the younger generation, whether kids, teens or young adult, do not switch off from the deeper things of God, that we strive to be relevant in what we share with them. To be as Paul wrote of himself – all things to all people.

This brave new world of computer-type gizmo technology is marvellous to behold - and embrace. Yet recently TV news revealed great concerns that have arisen due to young children’s exposure to this world…mere laptop game-playing and screen-time only without the reality of close friendships with neighbouring kids has resulted in some kids to become computer addicts.

This has consequently flowed into their teenage years and young adulthood. Many church kids of whatever age are no exception.

Some great good news
We’re delighted to report that we’ve had the joy of ministering in churches where the lead minister knows that God’s word has power indeed but must be delivered by speakers with genuine God-given charisma.

Such ministers ensure that kids are well catered for by gifted personnel. Leaders who have long ago dropped the old Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam type choruses and utilise creative facilities wisely made available.

We’ve noted teenagers and youth equally well catered for by ingenuous, with-it youth leaders. And young people being periodically used in upfront ministry to allow such experiences develop recognised ministries.

What blesses us most is discovering an outstanding desire among many young people to…
1) Spend time with seniors who make sense –who understand where they’re at, do not condemn, share and speak meaningfully into their lives, greatly encouraging on a one-on-one basis.
2) Learn from ministers, and those who have been around for years, who not only preach what should be done in certain circumstances but also teach how to do it.
3) Discover more about the Holy Spirit, his friendship, how to trust him and move in his supernatural in everyday living, and know that he’s not a Sunday only God.
4) Listen attentively to genuine speakers; those who speak clearly (No incomplete ‘Ya know what I mean’), simplify God’s word, are down-to-earth and give practical examples and, if they use PowerPoints, do so wisely.
5) Recognise the importance of authentic interaction with God, other Christians and church leaders.

In short, there’s a growing number of Christian youth, willing to switch off from their mobile and tablet world, and really learn about God and his ways. These are bright young folk and that Einstein quotation won’t apply to them! They’ll be an amazing generation.

Such a generation, when handled wisely by pastors, leaders and seniors who have been around experience-wise and know how to encourage and inspire, will take the church onto a higher level. 

Yes, they’ll use their computer know-how but what a brave new world they’ll make with the Spirit’s help before the return of Jesus – whenever that will be.

Choices

We recall the first time we visited a big city store, quite a few decades ago. So many floors of quality merchandise with the top one filled with extremely expensive furniture.

Returning to the ground floor via the escalator, we discovered there was yet another floor, one below ground that we’d missed earlier on my way up. The Bargain Basement down the escalator for ‘el cheapo’ deals. But as we went down we realised we had made a wrong choice. That underground cavern was so dismal, hot, airless and stuffy. We couldn’t wait to get out!

We never went down into a store basement again. But the memory came flooding back recently when we found the illustration below! There’s an escalator leading up to brightness, life and safety and one that leads down to the basement, to the danger of an unquenchable fire.

Naturally this icon produces thoughts of heaven and hell – and bright preachers will quickly come up with choice sermons warning about the dangers of ending up ‘down below’ where it is stuffy and airless to say the least.

Choice
Personally we want to highlight the sign – It’s Your Choice. It’s really clear – it’s up to the person standing at the edge to make the right choice. 

Of course any sensible, balanced person would make the correct choice in relation to those escalators! But what about life choices? Sometimes circumstances lead people to make wrong ones. Sometimes the choices themselves seem too hard to make.

The noun ‘choice’ means ‘the act, option or power of choosing.’ Used as an adjective it means ‘carefully selecting the best.’  Used in scripture choice means to make the best selection.

King David, of course, didn’t go shopping as we do today but in Psalm 16:4-5a (Mge), he makes an interesting observation on making the right choice: ‘Don't just go shopping for a god. Gods are not for sale. I swear I'll never treat god-names like brand-names. My choice is you, God, first and only.’

Then in verse 5(b) he adds his astounding discovery: ‘And now I find I'm your choice!’ What an incredible truth to be grasped by all – when we choose God, we then discover that we are truly his!

And because we’re God’s we can call on his help when hard choices have to be made.

Paul’s hard choice
In Philippians 1 Paul speaks of his difficult time in gaol. It seems that he is considering that death – his removal to heaven to be with Jesus – would be the perfect choice. 

He writes in verses 22-23, ‘If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I'd choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better.’

But Paul turned his thoughts and eyes away from looking down and the difficulties he had as an imprisoned Christian. He looked upward beyond his own problems to something brighter - to serving Jesus for his glory through his responsibility to his fellow-Christians.

In fact his choice was based on his acceptance of a realised truth - ‘Everything happening to me in this gaol only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn't shut me up; they gave me a pulpit!’ (v20).

No wonder he wrote: ‘But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it's better for me to stick it out here So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues’ (v24-25).

Life choices
In our western nations with religious freedom we may never find ourselves in prison for our faith. But life itself repeatedly requires several natural choices. And life can also throw unexpected ‘hard’ challenges and some weird curves at times.

In life we have to make choices that not only affect us but others as well - family, children and friends. Life and Christian service choices such as –

+ Ministry
+ Church
+ Friendships
+ Career
+ Location
+ Vehicles
+ Marriage
+ Health
+ Study
+ Finance.

In all these matters we should make the right – the best – choices. Learning to rely on Jesus helps. Paul gives this advice in verse 27: ‘Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.’

An important aspect of honouring Christ in life choices is to rely on God and the Holy Spirit as Jesus did. Inspiration, guidance and direction from God are repeatedly found through praying. 

Jesus’ examples
Luke 6:12-13 is the classic example. Before Jesus chose his disciples he spent the previous night in prayer obviously getting God’s direction. Sometimes we too might have to think and pray for some time before we feel an assurance within to make certain decisions that will then prove correct and fruitful. 

Then there was that terrible time before Calvary when, as Mark 14:33-34 (Mge) puts it, ‘He plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony. He told them (Peter, James and John), "I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me."’ Jesus then prayed so earnestly to the Father and received an incredible strengthening and the ability to make the right choice that pleased God and would lead to victory for humankind.

Whatever decisions we must make in life – small or large, simple or intricate, personal or corporate, as we rely on Jesus and experience more of the reality that God is always there for us, we’ll be confident in making the right choices. And we too can discover an amazing strengthening within. 

Especially if we’re living daily in the light of Proverbs 3: 5-6, ‘Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.’