Artificial Inheritance | Part 3 | Becoming a person of love
Scripture
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Summary
The Big Idea:
The Bible calls us to become people of love, as Paul so beautifully describes it in 1 Corinthians 13. But our use of technology can have a profound deforming effect in our lives. In this message, we explore the tension this causes and look at some ways we can be formed as people of love in the image of Christ in our day and age.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Deforming effect of technology
Distraction – Technology has a way of constantly distracting you from the people around you. A person of love means being available, not being distracted.
Consumption – Social media is designed to turn you into a consumer of information, entertainment and to lure you into buying more stuff. A person of love is not consumed with its own needs, but seeking to serve and support.
Individualism – Our technology makes us less and less dependent on others and more geared towards our own little world. A person of love sees others, tries to understand others and seeks to help others.
Being formed as a person of love
Set some radical limits on your use of devices:
One hour a day, one day a week and one week a year, turn the devices off, to make space for rest, play, attention and connection.
Choose the way of resilience:
When life gets hard, don’t seek for the easy way out of distraction and entertainment, but ask God how you can make things right.
Don’t seek the platform, become a pillar. Where the platform mentality sees the world as its stage, and the people around to meet their needs, the pillar mentality seeks to support and strengthen others, creating space and working in unity with others.
Some book recommendations
The Tech-Wise Family, Andy Crouch
The Life We’re Looking For, Andy Crouch
Platforms to Pillars, Mark SayersBecoming a person of love
