In 1885 Alexander Graham Bell revolutionized the way and speed in which we communicated, then Motorola shocked the world and came out with the cell phone in 1973, and our devices have since then evolved to be telling us when, and how much we need to communicate. Yes, we set the limits, but then AI tells us humans we have reached our limit.
The mere need of a function allowing us to set time limits on our social media usage, etc. speaks to our innate God given desire for connection and also convenience.
Just spending three months living in rural Kenya revealed a lot about me as an American. I am currently back in America as we await to receive our Kenyan work Visa and the image above pretty much sums up how I felt coming back to America. Even where we lived in China had a Starbucks, and a Walmart so we had at least those "comforts" of something familiar. When I came back in from Africa I was literally overwhelmed not only by the level of convenience, but comfort of it all. I know, you have probably heard this story before, but because this was the first time culture-shock was truly palpable for me, it really made me think deeper about this. I mention cell-phones specifically because they can now do it all, you can order your groceries, call your friends (more like text or email these days), organise your budget, and do your taxes. All these things, cell phones, i-pads, computers, tv's, conveniences, comforts, stores loaded with everything to cook almost any ethnic food you want from all over the world, allllllll this can certainly be argued or viewed as a sign of lavishness, but can also be viewed as a tremendous blessing. I do believe all these things have a tendency at points to send our minds into a tailspin. (You receive one million cool Points for you if you thought of the amazing cartoon Tailspin)
What I think I am really getting at with all this, is that all these things must not to be taken for granted, yet first and foremost we must keep promoting the Gospel and using the resources God has given us to advance the Kingdom of God. So many people in America right now are forsaking the very principles and Godly foundation that has made America such a prosperous land, and by default I think many of us that do have strong Christian values may actually be letting this ungratefulness rub off on us, or may be taking it to the wrong extreme and promoting a prosperity-centric Gospel and not a Jesus-Centric gospel. I believe this is why Jesus told the parable of the talents so that we would learn not to take the blessings and provisions from God for granted, but use what we have for His glory.
Matthew 25:14-30 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[a] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’