World At Our Fingertips

We live in a world of instant communications, luxury that could have only been dreamed about 20 years ago. This luxury enables us to keep in touch with friends and family so easily but with this relatively new technology comes new problems, new responsibilities and new temptations. Here are five fatal flaws that can occur hurting friendships, destroying trust and leaving a great big mess!


1. Instant Misunderstanding
Unlike talking to someone face to face you can't hear the tone of their voice. Remember words always look a lot more serious written down than when they are said. You also can't see the person's reaction so you don't know there's been a misunderstanding.


2. Instant Gossip
The temptation to gossip is increased by the ability we now have to "share" information instantly. There's no longer any need to wait to see the person, write a letter or hear the other person's voice on the end of the line each giving us time to realise that we're about to gossip and disobey God's command. We're also liable to forget that gossip isn't just the spreading of rumours and hearsay, even if it's fact and you're spreading it unneccessarily, its gossip.


3. Instant Anger
Another problem posed by instant communications is that we can reply in the heat of the moment. We need to take a deep breath and not vent our anger by a text or over msn. The world says "let it all out" but scriptures tell us to be self-controlled and that includes online!
"But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander" Colossians 3:8 (ESV)


4. Instant Lies
Not only can we spread gossip or vent anger, the temptation to tell a "white lie" is made all the more appealing through the internet or text. The words don't even have to leave our mouth,we just have to press a few buttons! We can be tempted to make things more interesting with our own little story or make ourselves seem more appealing by distorting the truth. It's easy to think that no one will ever know but God sees everything including your computer screen and your "Sent" folder!


5. "Send to All" Instant communication isn't just a problem because it's instant but because it reaches so many people. You don't have to spend time hurting your fingertips by typing out the message again and again. Just select "Send to all" or copy the text from another MSN conversation and the damage is multiplied!

In conclusion. I'm not saying take your phone outside and repeatedly hit it with a mallet before attacking your computer! Just be wise! A few good thoughts are would I say this to their face? Would I say this infront of my Christian friends? And do I need to say this?


"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up"
1Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV)




James McCullough

P.S. Rumour has it that the Andrew Morrison has set up his own website which you'll now find a permanent link to at the side or you can click here. Enjoy!