Manna Mondays- How the World Gets into Our Minds

Because of the great response I received over last Manna Monday’s “How the World gets into our Minds” in regards to the Tide commercial, I thought it would be helpful to uncover some more of the messages that are around us every day in the media. We as believers need to stay sober minded and be alert to not let them take root in our daily thinking.

1 Peter 1:13 says, ”Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

This 4G commercial is one that touches on the insecurities of human beings. It’s a funny commercial but what is really being said is actually sad and true. None of us like to be left behind or be the last person to find out funny or important information. With faster speeds for downloading information on our phones, we live in a culture of “right now.”  Drive thrus aren’t even fast enough for us anymore. We want it faster. People are sleeping with their phones at night and have them basically attached at the hip all day long. Our children are growing up in a culture where parents are constantly looking at their phones. What is this teaching our kids? I believe it’s teaching them mommy and daddy can’t stand not to know what “all” is going on out there in the virtual great divide.

It seems everyone wants to be aware of every text message and message posted on face book and twitter through our phones. One message is not enough, we want to know more. We want to feel included and are constantly looking at our phones, checking our face book to see what’s new. We crave to be “in the know” of the latest and greatest information.

And if you have a phone with the 4G network this can become the reality of your world. You can be in the know before everyone else and not get left behind.

Truth is, it’s ok not to have every detail of every person’s life in front of your eyes. It’s ok to get the message a few seconds later. Yes, we want to be able to have access to important messages on time if we need them, but we don’t have to know everything all the time. What does your face book time say about your heart? Are you constantly on it all the time? What does that message say about the priorities in your life?

Self-control is a fruit of the spirit. Let’s not forget. We exercise self-control when we don’t have to know everything about everyone all the time. We exercise self-control to our children when we show them that digital phones and computers don’t have our complete attention. Would they see us praying more or on face book more? I'm just saying! That's a convicting thought!

Remember Galatians 5:22-23“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law."

Let’s learn to keep a balance with all this new technology and not let it rule our lives and hearts. Taking time to practice the discipline of self-control by carving out time to not look at our phones, face book, and twitter can allow us more time to spend giving our full attention to God and to our family. It’s good to have this technology but not’s let fall prey to the thought that we are going to be behind everyone else if we don’t hear it first.