- Adam's first task was a creative project: naming the animals
- We are made to create, just like God creates
- Technology is representative of our God-given creative gifts
- Technology is inevitable
- Technology has an unintended consequence; it's not bad but it can do things that are bad
- The clock was originally invented to help people connect with God; now the clock connects us more to money than to God
- We need to be fully present here AND now
- The only thing that exists is this moment
- Face to face conversations are becoming more infrequent and awkward
- We are blinded to the power of physical presence in the world
- Be there. Be physically there.
- "Where two or more are gathered...": It's about presence.
- How do you communicate presence over email, Facebook, and Twitter?
- The incarnation shows us that presence is at the centre of Christian faith
- We need to periodically fast from technology
- The most meaningful transformation will happen, not online but within physical presence
- Practice what it means to be here and now
- Stop depriving the world of what it needs: the WHOLE you!
This completely resonates with me. I can get so caught up in technology that I forget to be present in the lives of others. I can get so caught up in planning and organizing and leading that I can often overlook the people right in front of me.
We've made some changes to our student ministry this year so we could work on teh very same principal: be present. We're calling it intentional proximity and we've asked all of our leaders to go out of their way to be present in the lives of our students.
It reminds me of a comment from Modern Family the other night. The one character, Jay, is asked what the key to being a good dad is. His closing thought was that "90% of being a dad is just showing up."
Are you showing up in the lives of those around you?
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