Attention To What Matters

Happy Easter! Our Lord has risen from the dead and conquered Death and decay. The world is
made new through the cleansing Sacrifice that is ours by faith in Christ the Lord. Part of dealing with the new world of Christ is to learn how to use the things of the world for good rather than evil.

Technologies of this world can help or hinder us. They can be a tremendous benefit to us, such as when medical technologies enable the healing of disease. This is truly a blessing. Likewise, the ability to communicate with others more easily is a blessing. However, technologies can bring us great harm if used uncritically or unwisely. The most pressing example for us today is the internet. The internet has a curious way of attracting attention and using up time. Who hasn’t had the experience of getting on a social media site for “just a few minutes,” to look up and realize that half an hour has passed without seeing anything of value?

The internet is a place that isn’t really a place. It takes your attention away from what is right in front of you and directs it … where? Somewhere else; when you are using the internet you aren’t really here, you aren’t really there. Sure, your body is in a physical location, but your mind is focused on things that have nothing to do with what is in front of you.

As Christians we can use technology, but we recognize that technology is not in itself an end. Our purpose in life is not to push the boundaries of technology to ever greater and dizzying heights. It isn’t to stay on top of new developments so that we have the latest consumer gadgets. It is to receive from God all that He has to give. It is to be present in the places where God has put you.

In so far as technology prevents you from doing this, it must be tamed. Your vocations as husband, wife, parent, or friend are often hindered by addiction to technology because of its ability to divert attention. How easy it is to be sucked into the nowhere place of the internet! How easy it is to fritter away valuable time on things that you will not remember tomorrow! The internet is designed to capture your attention, to draw your mind into rabbit holes from which there is no escape. Your attention is a valuable resource, one that tech companies spend billions of dollars to attract. Be wise about what you give attention to. Give your attention to God, to your family, to your community. Not to the corporations who want to sell you a false view of life. Give your attention to God’s Word, to prayer, to the things that actually matter in life. If your vocation requires you to use technology use it well, but put it away when you don’t need it. Tame it so that it does not take over your life and take your attention away from the blessings that God has put in your life.