I do not wear a tinfoil hat. I don’t necessarily believe in all the apocalyptic conspiracy theories that float around our Internet world. I am cautiously suspicious, and I don’t believe anything coming out of the mouths of politicians and media personalities.
We live in a connected world. We are told that our data is safe, unless you have a Tic Toc account, in which case the Chinese know everything about you. Otherwise, the message is, trust us we are not watching or listening to you.
If “they” are not listening to us, why do the ads on my Internet feed change based on what I just said to my wife across the den. Is my phone listening to me as it innocently sits next me on the table? You bet your Scofield Reference Bible it is listening to you. The Police sang it this way back in the 80’s, “Every move you make, and every vow you break, every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I’ll be watching you.”
Finally, we have arrived at my destination. I don’t know who is responsible for my latest tracking conundrum. I have a vehicle that is several I.Q. points smarter than I am. I also have a smart phone. Every time I get in my car, I receive a text message from Google maps. Mind you I have not started the car. I have gone and sat down in the car. Boom here comes the text message. Is the car telling the phone or is the phone telling the car, I just sat down?
On Sunday through Friday the message is the same. “You are 24 minutes from the office.” I live in Gibsland and Trinity is in Ruston. 24 miles from my front door to the office door, and it takes me less than 24 minutes to get here. I have grown accustomed to ignoring that message.
What bugs me is the message I receive on Saturday morning. If I go to the car on Saturday and sit down, boom the text message comes. “You are 12 miles from Gap Farms.” How does the phone know I’m going to Gap Farms? The phone knows because on most Saturday mornings, my bride and I start the day with breakfast at Gap Farms in the metropolis of Arcadia. Still it is unnerving that the phone knows my behavior so well.
For my Christian friends out there remember the words of Paul, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Be careful because you are being watched. Be careful because your actions influence others to consider Jesus or reject Him. Be careful because your eternity is hanging in the balance.
Be careful how you live. You are being watched over by a gracious and loving Savior. That gives me hope in this crazy world.
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