Holy Scripture and Cell phone connections

I was on the front porch when you drove by and I waved, thinking that as a member of the Statesville City Council, I sometimes get ferocious emails from people informing me I’ve lost my ever-loving mind, but that’s okay I forgive them. However, scripture says forgiveness is not enough. “Bless them that curse you, pray for them which despitefully use you,” which is easy with email, you choose Reply “Thank you for reaching out.” then click Delete. But scripture is not meant to be digital, it’s all about being connected and personal, but what about the guy some weeks ago who walked out of a gathered crowd and towards my car waving a foreign flag while making threatening shouts?

I just plain don’t have time for that. I’m busy writing stories, my wife’s meeting me for lunch, and PGA tournaments are in full …er… swing. I’m too busy to watch people wave foreign flags or hear how the last election was stolen by Trump in cahoots with space aliens.

I have my own struggles.

The Christian faith has some high standards “…whosoever he is of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple” said Jesus, according to St. Luke. Which is unsettling to me, a homeowner with a 401K, two cars, and a boat load of clothes.

The folks sleeping under the highway over-pass near my house --- are they former Baptists who gave up their condominiums for discipleship? Did they once eat at French restaurants in Charlotte, then perhaps attend a musical with actors dressed as cats and then one morning that verse from St. Luke popped into their head, suddenly they renounced materialism and speed-dialed their realtor? What did the wives say? Who told the kids? Forsaking materialism is not an individual decision, other people are involved. Was Luke married?

It was materialism that helped Her Majesty and I through the pandemic. We’d constantly order stuff online and sit around talking, which raised questions.

So, we’d google: Was Luke one of the original disciples? No sir. His conversion is associated with the apostle Paul. How popular is the name “Joe”? Not very. Doesn’t even make the top 1000 popular names for boys. The only US president to hold a patent? Abraham Lincoln, for a buoy to get boats over the shoals.

Thanks to Google we’re big on information but thin on life. We use to experience life directly through sight, sound, smells, and personal conversations. Now we experience a lot of life through emojis and electronic screens. Public interaction seems to result in demonstrations, uncivil conversations, and incorrect fast-food orders (they forget the fries). Technology is choking our ability to convey thoughts and intimate feelings.

Intimacy is a joy when you’re young, but as you grow older it becomes a necessity that makes life bearable. You walk around with your everyday face on (mine is somber as I’m from farming people, chronic worriers concerned about drought, leaf rot, and the spread of notorious dairy organizations out of Chicago promoting illegal cow fights --- it’s always something) and you long for unguarded small talk with some friendly person. In airports or medical waiting rooms I hesitate to approach women for conversation as they may take it wrong and men are monosyllabic at best.

Happily, there is an upside to this modern dilemma. My cell phone.

I pull it out and view a long list of friends and pals. I scroll down. Choose a name. Talk.

A wonderful device, the cell phone. It literally lists your best blessings, and lets you talk to each one of them. You can share words unguarded and personal. From practically anywhere on earth now --- sea, land, or air -- you press a green button and your voice can give someone comfort, encouragement, or sweet forgiveness, just the way our Lord intended. And how cool is that?