Portable Technology

Written in 75 minutes during the LeTourneau University Heritage Weekend essay competition. February 11, 2006 by Elijah Lofgren

The increasing use and availability of portable electronic devices is having a negative impact on deep personal relationships. Some people spend hours on end listening to their favorite music on their Apple iPod, completely tuning out other people in the world around them. Others waste countless time playing video games or watching the latest new movie on their Sony PSP.

There are positive uses for these new breed of devices. An increasing amount of good Christian teachings are available for download which allow people to grow in their Christian walk anywhere, anytime. Despite many abuses, the endless stream of new technology can be used for great good.

Spending time playing video games and listening to music is not bad in itself, but it becomes a detriment when it takes away from personal, face-to-face relationships with other people. For example, if a young man goes someplace with his family and spends the entire time beating level after level of video games, he has missed out on quality time he could have spent developing relationships with his family. That young man should not seek to be entertained all the time, but he should instead make a wise choice to spend quality time with his family. Personal relationships should always have a higher priority over technology because relationships will last into eternity. People usually look back on their lives and wish they had spent more time with their family. They never wish they had listened to one more song by their favorite band or beaten one more level in their favorite video game. Technology is temporary, relationships are forever.

There are ways that portable technology has helped people grow closer to both other people and stronger in their walk with God. The cell phone is one example. Using a cell phone allows a mother to stay in contact with her family while she is away running errands. By carrying a cell phone, a mother never needs to be more than a phone call away if her children need to talk with her. Having a cell saves my mother time when she forgets her shopping list. All has to do is call home. Listening to Christian teaching while jogging is another example of how portable devices can be helpful. Someone who goes jogging each morning can turn that exercise time into a spiritually enriching experience if they list to a Bible teaching on their portable music player. Thus, a person can not only stay physically fit, they can also grow spiritually at the same time.

If someone finds that they are spending time with technology at the expense of time with their family, they can take steps to a more healthy use of technology. Instead of spending every night sitting in front of the TV they can make the choice to play a board game with their family. Teenagers can choose not to bring their iPods with them everywhere they go. Technology takes over someone's life only if they make the decision, conscious or not, to let it.

When used wisely, technology can be a good tool for staying in contact and learning new things. If allowed to take over, technology can make your relationships shallow, and cut you off from the rest of the world. Relationships should never be sacrificed for the convenience of technology. Technology is a powerful tool, it should be used wisely.