Two days ago while driving, I heard something bounce off the bottom of the car. A few 100m down the road, to my shock, the realization hit me that it was my wallet and phone that I had forgotten on the roof while unloading something from the boot.
My immediate reaction was, “You idiot!” Driving back, I hopped out the car and dodged traffic, trying to retrieve the 2 things that society has become completely obsessed with. My cards were scattered all over the road but I managed to find the most important ones. My phone however, was another story. The screen was completely smashed and the base, bent at a strange angle. The fact that I will still be paying for it for the next 8 months without being able to use it, didn’t aid the situation in any way.
The frustration I felt about the entire episode, scared me. How could I have become so attached to a “thing”, that it could upset me so much? How could I a “thing” cause me to become so negative about myself.
In life, we place such a high value on possessions and comfort and the impression we want people to have of us, that we neglect the most valuable of all – people! This was a reminder to me to take my eyes off screens for long enough, so that I can recognise the fact that there are people out there who need encouragement and love. There are people in our own families who get to spend very little quality time with us, because we choose to waste our lives away, fixated on screens.
Life is passing us by. There is only so much time we have on this earth, to make our lives count. Don’t allow an obsession with an online audience, to distract you from playing your part in a real life role that God has cast you in.
Have an amazing day!
Mark Davidson
