I have to admit – sometimes my sense of humor does not match up with the rest of the general populace. I often find humor in things others might not notice.
This morning I am traveling. I am headed to Juarez, Mexico to help lead a conference for Juarez pastors and their wives for a few days. As I sat at my gate to make my connection in the Houston Hobby Airport (I have spent some time here in the past – more on that here), I heard a voice come over the intercom and announce – Someone has left their flip phone at the security check point and you need to return to claim it.
The very first thought that went through my head was this – They didn’t forget it, they were just too embarrassed to pick it back up.
As I said, my sense of humor does not always match up. If you still carry a flip phone, hold on – please don’t be offended. I share this experience here to make a point.
There was a time in the not-so-distant past that the primary use of a cellular device was to make actual voice calls – remember, those interactions where we talked to a live person over the phone?
As technology has progressed at speeds that even Carl Sagan could not quantify, I fear there has been a cost that is now slowly coming into view. The more “connected” we have become through messaging and email in our pockets, the less truly connected we have grown.
Now we can sit next to a person for hours and never acknowledge their existence. We can quickly become consumed with all the things at our fingertips literally in the palm of our hands and forget that the world continues to turn and life continues to move forward all around us.
Perhaps the days of the flip phone should not be forgotten. How about today, instead of an email or text, you actually call and talk to a person. And while you have them on the phone, tell them what they actually mean to you!
Make the connection.
Be a blessing today!
e church that is making disciples who in turn make disciples is living out the Great Commission – the church’s marching orders.
The word that caught my attention in the story is “distracted.” The Greek word translated here can be understood as covered over or consumed with worry.
The purpose of the email was to tell him how much he means to me and to thank him for the impact he has made in my life. I remember sending the email but I had to go back and dig up the email to remember what I had said. In that email I shared with him that I had had lunch with a wonderful man earlier that day who made the statement that he was tired of learning about people at their funerals and we all need to do a better job of appreciating people while they are still with us. I was so touched by his words that day that I was inspired to reach out to a number of people who have poured into me over the years.
When you look in the mirror do you see God? I am not talking about what some in the world would say – that we are all gods. That thought is an arrogant, mis-guided concept that dates back thousands of years.
Clay in the Hands 