It goes without saying that for most connected people today, the use of phones, tablets, and laptops to access and share content is as normal as a family discussion at dinner – or more so. For some of us, this is new and disconcerting. On the other hand, those of us who use it tend to be pretty comfortable with it. But do we really know what we’re dealing with? Are we really doing this intentionally, or are we being drawn into it without thinking?

Let’s take a thirty thousand foot view of this for a moment. When you get billions of people (1 p. 2) all connected together, it’s a mess of communication – emails, text messages, chats, photos, videos, connected gaming, live streams, and status messages are gluing together people from all parts of the world.

There are a lot of good things that happen here. Take, for instance, the ease of accessing your own medical data instantly, or texting your brother on another continent. Want to know where your children are? Check your maps app.

In the religious world, our sermons and conferences can be streamed online, and music is available for download and use – especially helpful during the pandemic. (1 p. 4) Theological training, consistory communication, and outreach can all take place online.

For someone not used to the connected world, it would be difficult to describe all the ways that technology influences us – dramatic reductions in labor, extensive increases in efficiency, and a rapid pace of growth that is unparalleled in the history of the world (Daniel 12:4).

But is this all good? If you can get to data quickly, so can thieves. If you know where your children are, so do others. If you’ve wandered into the arena of technology without really understanding it, take a moment to review what could go wrong.

When we hear the ten commandments each week in church, do we think how easily we could be led astray? The slide into world conformity and cultural complacency is simply too easy – the line between being ‘in the world’ and ‘of the world’ quickly becomes blurred.

When we hear ‘thou shalt not commit adultery,’ do we stop to consider how often we walk through it online? (1 p. 7) And how easily our hearts are set on fire by things we think are commonplace?

And ‘thou shalt not bear false witness’ is probably not making us think about that little thumbs up button we pushed on the humorous political post we saw… that might not have been so humorous for its victim.

These are sins, but there are also dangers – being targeted by sexual predators, cyberbullying, increased stress, deteriorating mental health, lack of sleep, and other negative effects can also be the results of increased use of modern media. (1 pp. 5-8)

Those of us who are accustomed to modern media would likely agree that it’s here to stay, and it’s not possible to avoid it in any meaningful way without significant change in our lives. If that’s the case, how can we apply it in a Biblical manner?

When we think about how to positively use modern media, we can apply the general purpose of man on earth: to glorify God. Use communication to love (and glorify) God above all, and our neighbor as we would ourselves. Communicate with love and respect, intentionally and actively pointing to God above, who can guide us to not only speak (and text!) in an honest and heartfelt way, but also lead others to do the same.

The Bible is not short on directives for what we should do in our life – and modern media can in many ways help with this. Balancing the positives and negatives, and using it with temperance is the key to turning an almost unavoidable technology into a helping hand for others.