Technology, technology, technology!  For someone who does not enjoy technology and all the nuances of it, I sure have had to step up and learn more of it than I wanted to.  I just watched in some instances because I was lost through some of the processes.  I must say that I am thankful for the technology because it enabled us to better communicate with our ministry families during this time of crisis.

I have learned that I prefer to teach upfront and personal.  This long-distance stuff is for the birds.  I want to sit with my students and talk to them.  I enjoy being around them and spending part of their day with them.  Video conferencing is the next best thing, but it is a poor substitute for up close and personal.

Communicating by text or other means can be very useful.  It is a nice way to let others know that you are thinking about them or sending them a quick reminder to stop by the store.  However, it has become much more than that.  Communication through technology has grown rapidly over the last decade.  I found some interesting statistics.

According to textrequest.com, Americans send roughly 26 billion text messages every day. On average, each American sends and receives 94 text messages per day.   As far as the amount of time goes, an average American spends 55 minutes a day but an average 12th grader spends about two hours a day texting.  Adults tend to send reminders or make a schedule whereas teenagers tend to have in-depth conversations that will last for hours.

Can you imagine how much time we spend on our phones each day?  If we spend this much time on just texting, and we add the time we spend on Facebook and all of the other Social Media sites, it is mind-boggling.  There are so many areas we have made progress in because of technology, but I want to look at the areas in which we have lost ground.

One that is obvious to me is time.  I hear many people complaining that they don’t have time.  I wonder how much time is spent with their smartphones in all different capacities-texting, social media, surfing the web, etc.

I also notice that it takes away from family time. It is obvious in restaurants when families are all on their own devices and ignoring each other.  I have heard children complaining about their parents being on their phones all the time.  It hurts the family.

I think it has hurt relationships in so many ways.  We don’t know how to communicate face-to-face anymore.  When a business has to teach its employees to communicate with the customers, it is sad.  When I was trained for my first job, I was taught how to greet, but that was a five-minute conversation.  I understand they have complete employee training sessions on communication now.  I read of a psychologist who had to help a married couple work out their differences through text because that is how they communicated when they dated.  How sad is that?

Text messaging and other types of communication can be so easily misunderstood.  If you are having an important conversation, the tone of your voice and the look on your face is so important.  It should be a written rule that any important words should be spoken.

If many young people have important conversations through text messaging, how will they become good leaders?  Will they be in Congress texting each other when we are in the midst of a crisis?  How will they communicate with their employees?  Will they fire them with a text message?  Leaders have to be good communicators.  They must know how to reach and inspire their people.

Another problem with text messaging is no one knows how to listen.  Once you text, you wait for a response.  That may be in a few minutes or a few hours.  While you are waiting for an answer you go about your business by texting other people, surfing the web, or actually doing some work.  Once you get a response, you will answer when it is convenient, if you answer at all.  A good communicator not only speaks, but he listens.  He lets you know what you are saying is important to him.

Our Heavenly Father is a great communicator.  He communicates through His Holy Bible and through His still, small voice.  In I Kings 19:11-13, God spoke to Elijah in a still, small voice.  It wasn’t in an earthquake or in a fire.  He spoke to Elijah quietly.  What was Elijah doing when God spoke?  He was waiting for God to speak.

If we don’t get still and learn how to pray and wait for God’s response, we are not going to grow in our relationship with God.  We must praise our Heavenly Father, and we give our petitions to Him.  After praise, the most important part of prayer is listening.  How can God talk to you if you aren’t waiting for an answer?  What do you want me to do, God?  What is your will in this situation?  To get an answer, we must learn to stop in our tracks and take time to listen.

John 10:27 says “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”  Do you recognize God’s voice?  Let us silence our cell phones and get in a quiet place.  Maybe your quiet place is in your car or somewhere in your home.  Put away distractions and have a conversation with God.  Better yet, stop and listen to His still, small voice.

Mrs. Worthington has five children and eleven grandchildren.  She serves as Principal of Pathway Christian Academy in Goldsboro.