First of all, let me preface this rant by saying this... Technology is the greatest thing since sliced bread, if it is used for its intended purpose. It is a tool, that if used properly can enhance our lives. It can make things better, easier, and more convenient. It can entertain us, and allow us to reach distant family with a frequency that a generation ago was unheard of. It is overall a positive. That being said, as with any other good thing, humanity will find a way to turn good into evil.
Cell phones were supposed to be the answer to all of our communications woes. I remember when Sherri and I were dating some 21 years ago, she thought it was the coolest thing that I had a phone in my truck. It was a bag phone, and you had to sit in the truck to use it. There was not a texting feature, there were no games and you did not carry it around like an accessory. I suppose it was, at that time somewhat of a status symbol, although to me it was a necessary evil wrought on me by my employer. How far we have come since then.
Recently, while teaching my sunday school class of young people, who ranged in age from 14-18 as a part of the lesson I asked them, "Aside from the gift of life itself, what is the best gift you have ever received?" Out of twenty or so of these young people almost without exception were quick to whip out their smart phones and say, "My phone." One young lady, who I knew her parents had recently bought her a car started to say her phone, then backed up and said, "Oh, I almost forgot my car." Thus we see the priority given to the modern day smart phone. One of the biggest challenges has been keeping these same youths off their phones long enough to teach the lesson to them. Some of them are rebellious, and outright defiant at the prospect of having to put up their phones. I know there was still texting going on during the class, as it was impossible to stop all of it, and teach the lesson. When one new convert made the comment to me that one of the girls was texting him during class, I told him, " I cannot stop her, mainly because if you watch her mother during church, she will be on her phone during church too. HOW DISRESPECTFUL AND WHAT A PITIFUL EXAMPLE. If her parents have taught her this is okay, who am I to try to override her parents. Some from the church may read this and want names, don't ask and I won't have to tell you to MYOB. Those of you who know texting lingo will know what that means!
While I am on the subject of texting. Texting was supposed to be the answer to all of our communications woes, a communications generation later. Several years ago, while at a planning and brain storming meeting at an undisclosed location with several undisclosed people, the discussion of texting came up. Several of us who were of the older generation were not text savvy, and at that point really did not want to become that way. WE WERE ASSURED, THAT IF WE WOULD EMBRACE THE TECHNOLOGY, ALL OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS STRUGGLES WOULD END WITHIN THE UNDISCLOSED GROUP. We were told that it just took too long to return a phone call, and that if we would just text instead that we could be kept in the loop, never to be in a position where our call did not get returned for some "unknown"reason. Now, let me assure you, no problem was resolved because, INSTEAD OF IGNORING THE CALL, THEY JUST IGNORE THE TEXT.
Here is where is where the real rant starts so strap in...
What in the name of Abraham Lincoln makes anyone in my contacts think that their time is so much more important than mine, (OR MY WIFE'S )that they have they can blatantly and repeatedly ignore my contacts with them? Just how arrogant are you to think that somehow it is beneath you to acknowledge a text with some type of simple request that would take you 30 seconds or less to reply to via text message. We have already forgone the decent thing, which is a phone conversation to settle for this substandard and often misunderstood means of conversation. IT IS ARROGANT AND IT IS WRONG FOR PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN PHONE SNOBBERY, PERIOD!!!! It would possibly be different if we were pestering night and day for weeks on end, but I am talking about bi weekly or even monthly messages that NEVER get responded to as the result of some misguided sense that somehow you just must be a little better. Some of you are supposedly Children of the most high God, and let me tell you, God definitely has an opinion about a haughty spirit. AND THAT IS WHAT IT IS!
Now, ALL of us have missed returning a text. ALL of us have failed to call someone back promptly. I am not talking about accidental things that were done. I would never hold it against someone for making a mistake. I have done it myself, and when I did, I have always been quick to apologize and to try to correct whatever needed to be corrected. Some of you have done that as well. I know we are all busy, and we all have our priorities. That brings me to my next point, Facebook games...
Now, let me preface my comments with this, how we use stewardship of our time is between us and God Almighty. I am not the phone police. However, I believe we will be held to account for our time, and how it was used, wisely or otherwise. If you want to play games I suppose in moderation it is not wrong. However, in many cases, SOME OF THE VERY ONES WHO ARE THE BIGGEST PHONE SNOBS, AND ARE SUPPOSEDLY TOO BUSY TO RESPOND TO A TEXT, UPON OBSERVATION, EVERY TIME I SEE THEM THEY ARE ON THEIR PHONES, ON FACEBOOK, OR INSTAGRAM, (WHICH ARE THE SAME THING) OR THEY ARE PLAYING GAMES ON THEIR PHONES, OR THEY ARE DOING BOTH!!! Too busy to show common courtesy to another human being, but with plenty of time to play candy crush or what ever the cool game of the month is. These same people tend to whine about how over worked they are, all the while playing, or texting, or yacking with someone whom they have deemed, "worthy of their precious time."
Let me say that I am not too good to occasionally whip out my I pad and play a good rousing game of pac man. It is a game from my generation, and it is fun, however, every time I do, by the third game or so my conscience begins to nag at me. It is reminding me, "have you studied your Bible today?" or "Have you got all of your work done? Did your founding fathers waste their time, maybe this time wasting is why things aren't going so good?" So, I usually put it up and get to work. I HAVE NEVER IGNORED A PHONE MESSAGE OR TEXT FROM ANYONE BECAUSE I WAS "BUSY" AND INSTEAD GAMED OR SURFED SOCIAL MEDIA. NEVER!!! Most of the Sunday school kids I mentioned above rarely if ever read their Bible and cannot quote even the simplest of doctrinal scriptures from memory, but they sure know what's happening with social media and they sure know how to play games on their phones. They carry them around like little idols. IT HAS RISEN TO THE LEVEL OF IDOLATORY IN SOME CASES, BELIEVE ME. Why should they do any different? Their parents are setting the example by doing the same thing.
Some of you might use the excuse that some people just are annoying and I don't want to be bothered with them. Well let me just say this... I operate, and have for a long time a service business where the phone rings at all hours of the day and night. Almost all calls after hours are "annoying." I take them anyway and never, ever ignore them. Why? because it is this little thing called human decency. Some of you need to develop a little of it. I take them because it is my job, and it is the right thing to do. Yes, some people are annoying. I am quite sure some of you will be annoyed with me more than ever after reading this. Common decency requires us to be kind to everyone, the "annoying ones" and the "anointed ones" who we have deemed worthy of your precious time.
The Bible indicates we are to love our brother like our selves. HOW MANY OF YOU LIKE BEING IGNORED??? It's not very loving to constantly snub someone you deem unworthy of your 30 second response, is it?
In closing, I understand that I have deeply offended some of you. The Bible say's offenses will come, so... Get over it. That is exactly what I've been told to do many times, when offenses have come my way. Once an old project manager, who was my direct supervisor, told me, "even a good horse needs a swat to get across the finish line." There have been times when I didn't like the swat, but it was the truth that day, and what I have said is the truth now. HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL READ THIS WITH A RIGHT SPIRIT, REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN AN OFFENDER AND RECEIVE THIS POST THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED, NOT TO OFFEND BUT TO INFORM YOU OF HOW TRULY OFFENSIVE PHONE SNOBBERY IS TO THE SNUBBED PARTY.
Let's be kind and considerate to one another and see if life isn't just little better for everybody.
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