Slaves without knowing it

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-->       The New Testament gives us many clues on how to conduct our lives. But the one passage that seems to be all-encompassing is Paul’s letter to the Colossians, chapter 3, verse 12. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
      Those virtues seem in precious short supply here in the second decade of the 21^st century. I often wonder why. Our culture has taken such a path that those five qualities are almost viewed upon as weaknesses, not strengths. Part of the reason is the proliferation of the media, institutional and social. Reasoned discourse, honest discussion, compromise … those seem to be so foreign to us here in the age of 24-hour news channels, the Internet and Twitter.
      But, of course, media is not the sole reason. As Shakespeare wrote, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.” We have become slaves to our smartphones, computers and TVs. We have been seduced by immediacy and technology, but it’s only the latest example of we sheep being led astray. Speaking for myself, it is very easy to get lost in the world of technology. It’s like a moth to a flame: we know it can burn us, but it’s difficult to resist the glittering light. We don’t realize that it’s a false light, and that it can lead us down dark paths.
      Remember Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth.

      “¹Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. ² You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.”

I Corinthians 12:1-3

      This is not to say that all media is bad. Quite the contrary: The Internet has been a wonderful tool for many people: doctors, students, writers and many others who are curious and wish to expand their knowledge. I actually used the Internet in writing this  (thank you, biblegateway.com). Our phones let us connect to family and friends in ways that were impossible less than a generation ago.

      But when we let those tools be our only avenue to connect with other people, that’s when relationships can fray. We lose that sense of community that promotes empathy, a key component of becoming more compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient. In short, being a slave to technology can quickly separate us from the loving arms of our families and God.