I love technology. I take an interest in seeing some of the latest and greatest things out there, from the latest televisions, to giant-sized computer monitors that have touch screens. I am fascinated with the latest phones that come out, and all the apps that are available for them. I get a kick, though, out of watching some people who are texting away – sending 100 messages a day. I don’t know how they do it.
Sadly, with all of this technology we have developed an over-inflated view of ourselves. We have developed this idea that the rest of the world is just sitting on the edge of their seat waiting for our next text, waiting for our next tweet, waiting for our next Facebook post. We have become so full of ourselves and we think the rest of the world is just dying to know our opinions. Go shopping or go out to eat and this same mindset is encouraged. Places like Walmart, Home Depot etc, as well as many restaurants reward you when after your visit you go online and fill out a survey. We are programmed to believe that our opinion matters, that “MY” opinion matters.
Now please don’t misunderstand me. I am as guilty as the next for feeling that need to post something, for needing to get through my e-mail. There are many benefits with this technology. It is now so much easier to keep informed on events, to share critical information or to update others on major changes to a project. Decisions are easier to make with information so readily available through these modern day communication devices. However, just because we have an opinion, and just because we have a means to express it, doesn’t mean we should.
I have always found it fascinating to hear what happened with the group of guys that hung around with Jesus. At one point in their journey together, two of the guys who happened to be brothers approached Jesus and asked if they each might have a seat next to Jesus when they all get to heaven. We can guess as to what they wanted. They wanted to have a position of respect. They wanted to be in positions of recognition. Sitting at the side of a Prince or King also implied the opportunity to be their counselor, to give advice. I believe that this is what they wanted–to have a part in the government. But this is not how God works, and Jesus makes that point clear to these two brothers.
We as humans want power and authority. We want to tell others how to live. We want influence. Our culture tells us that our opinion matters. So we have this growing sense of entitlement to tell everyone what we think. Jesus doesn’t work like that. He tells these two brothers and the rest of the group that He is not about “lording his position” over others. Instead, Jesus is all about serving. He makes clear that to follow Him is to choose to be a servant. To follow Jesus implies that we surrender our own desires, and our supposed rights to an opinion, and instead serve the needs of those around us.
So lets think about this. First off, I am not suggesting that we toss our technology away. Rather I want to encourage all of us to consider the idea of spending less time advancing ourselves and our own interests and opinions and instead make greater attempts to reach out to others. We should consider the needs and interests of others as being more important than our own.
This is really what being a follower of Jesus is all about. When we decide to follow Jesus we become servants. We are happy knowing that we can help meet the needs of others. Being a follower of Jesus, means becoming a servant to those around us. This is hardly a novel concept. The Apostle Paul encouraged his followers with exactly this thought. He wrote to a church in Philippi that they should “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves”. He goes on to say that they should “not merely look out for (their) own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4) We would do well to follow the same advice.
So the next time you have this desire to insert your opinion into a conversation, stop. The next time you are inclined to rattle off your thoughts on a subject, think again. Instead, ask the person you are in conversation with, “What do you think?”. Let them know that you would love to know how they feel about the subject.