More Connected Than Ever, But Desperately Alone

Being a career journalist and writer, I’ve always been fascinated by communications. I often marvel in thinking about how much the art of communicating has changed just in my lifetime.

 

For instance, my first memories of the telephone: it was the old-fashioned kind, with receiver cradled on its base, a rotating dial for placing a call, and a simple combination of letters and digits for a phone number. The first one I remember was CH (for Charter) followed by five numbers. We didn’t have an area code yet.

 

For a while we had a “party line,” sharing the same phone line with one or more neighbors. Occasionally we’d pick up the receiver to make a call and hear someone else’s voices on the same line. We’d have to wait for them to hang up before we could use the phone ourselves. When our phone did ring, we had to pick up the receiver and hear the voice to find out who was calling. Can you believe it? 

We’d fret over missing a phone call because there were no answering machines – and nothing vaguely resembling voicemail. Printed telephone books contained the names, addresses and phone numbers of everyone in our town. If the city was large, the phone books were huge. The alternative was to dial ‘0’ and get a real person called an “operator” who could provide needed information and phone numbers. Social media? The only thing remotely akin to that was secretively listening in on a party line conversation.

 

Fast forward to today: Never in the history of civilization have people been more connected. We’ve got phones, email, texting, the Internet, hundreds of TV and cable networks, streaming services, and video communications platforms. Everything literally at our fingertips. And yet, people have never been more isolated.

 

Why do we, surrounded by such a vast communications jungle, sometimes feel so desperately alone? Because no matter how many “friends” we may have on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or any other social medium, there’s no substitute for eye-to-eye contact and a human touch.

 

We were created for relationship, first with God and then with one another. In the creation account given in the opening chapter of Genesis, after He created animals, birds, fish and other living things “according to their kinds,” the Lord decided to create humankind. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…’” (Genesis 1:26).

 

God clearly desired relationships with His foremost creations – man and woman. After all the wondrous but non-speaking living things He designed, the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit wanted a mutual love relationship with mankind. But after “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7), the Lord understood the man needed companionship. We might say, someone with skin on.

 

“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him’” (Genesis 2:18). After introducing Adam to “all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air,” God determined “for Adam no suitable helper was found…. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh….’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife…” (Genesis 2:19,22-24).

 

Ever since that time, human history has been an unending saga of relationships, good and bad, healthy and unhealthy. As we were designed, God wanted us to yearn for eye contact, touch, conversation, and even the scent of other human beings.

 

Despite its many benefits, technology can provide no substitute for these needs. That’s why we read declarations such as Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” – as we interact and rub shoulders with one another, we can help each other become better people. 

 

In relationship we can support one another and help in carrying each other’s burdens: “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work; if one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

 

During the pandemic, many churches were closed, ostensibly for health reasons. But those closures didn’t enhance spiritual vitality. We need one another – followers of Jesus Christ aren’t intended to function in desperate aloneness. This is why we’re admonished in Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another….”

Relationships are hard. It’s easier to press “Like” on social media or type a quick reply to someone’s post. But relationships are vital. We need to be intentional, to look up (from our smartphones) not only to smell the roses but also to enjoy and engage in the real relationships all around us. 

Spending Our Time with the Wrong ‘Book’?

Have you ever thought about how much communication has changed over recent decades? Long ago in a land far away – or so it seems – families would gather around dinner tables nightly to review the day. Neighbors sitting on front porches would greet each other as dusk drew near. They’d also enjoy friendly impromptu visits across an adjoining fence.

 

These days, if families gather at all, it’s usually around the big-screen TV. Or accompanied by their ever-present smartphones. Many homes don’t have front porches; instead, we huddle inside, enjoying the air conditioning during the warm months and the heat when it’s cold. Sadly, in many instances we don’t even know our neighbors, let alone call them friends.

 

Speaking of friends, increasingly folks can’t identify more than a few. We have “friends” at work, but those friendships typically don’t extend beyond the workplace. Even in church settings, most relationships go no deeper than, “Hi, how are ya? I’m fine. Good to see you.” 

 

We connect with “friends” via social media, but they’re people we wouldn’t recognize if we passed them on the street, the grocery store or the mall. And yet, we spend countless hours keeping up with social media friends. If we’re not online for very long, we may start to suffer from FOMO – fear of missing out. We don’t want to be the last to know when someone’s on vacation, what they had to eat, a joke they shared, or the emotional rant they posted.

 

If only we possessed the same enthusiasm for communicating with God. In a recent message, our pastor made this sage observation: “These days everyone is on Facebook, when their face needs to be in THE book, the Bible.”

In homes where people profess to be Christians, it would be unusual not to find at least one Bible. Often, there are more than one, even in different translations. But if we were to compare their time in the Word of God with time spent on social media, the difference might be startling.

 

My desire isn’t to shame anyone. I get it. I’m sometimes guilty of it, too. Things happen so quickly these days. The tidbits of information we can gather on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Parler – whatever your medium of choice happens to be – come at lightning speed. There’s always the temptation to check out the latest. On the other hand, the Bible has pretty much been the same for hundreds of years, except for the occasional “new and improved” translation or paraphrase.

 

But how often have you heard about someone whose life was changed, even transformed, by what they read on social media? On the other hand, I know thousands of people, many that I’ve written about in one way or another, whose lives were turned upside-down after encountering Jesus Christ in the Scriptures.

 

I’d be lying if I said I don’t let a day pass without spending time in the Bible. Sometimes the tyranny of the urgent gets in the way of the important. But I can tell a difference when I haven’t spent time in God’s Word. And it probably shows.

 

Any relationship grows stronger with the more time and energy you put into it, including with the Lord. I used to think spending an hour or so in church on Sunday was sufficient, but that’s no more true than eating one meal a week is enough. Just as we need physical food daily, we also need spiritual food – time with God in the Scriptures, in prayer and meditation.

 

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). And the psalmist tells us, “Blessed is the man [whose] delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). We’re promised that by spending time with God, we will be blessed.

 

Whether we’re going to work, to school, or trying to manage a household, we all want to be successful. Spending time in the Scriptures with our best Friend of all is a big step in that direction. In Joshua 1:8 we’re assured, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Seems like good advice to me.

 

We’re blessed if we have even a handful of good friends, folks we can trust and rely on when needed. The friends we find on Facebook and other social media might be fun to interact with. However, what better friend can we find than the Lord?

 

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). And that’s exactly what He did for us, willingly giving up His life on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, to redeem us, and to provide the way for an eternal relationship with God.

So, as we’re spending time communicating with friends we encounter each day, as well as those pseudo-friends we’ve met on Facebook and other social media, it would be wise to make a point of communing with the greatest Friend of all – and His Book. 

Words: Inspiring or Inciting, Wonderful or Woeful?

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me!” When I was a kid, this old saying would be repeated over and over. One problem: it wasn’t true.

 

My boyhood had its share of cuts and scrapes. Even though I didn’t have a belligerent personality, I got into a scuffle or two. But I can't recall any of those injuries in detail. I can, however, remember harsh or unkind words that were directed to me and my fragile self-image as a youth. If I tried hard enough, some of those insults could still echo in my mind.

 

Perhaps this is one reason the Bible is replete with verses and passages that deal with the power of words, citing their capacity of uplifting and inspiring, as well as damage it can incite when misused.

 

In fact, the New Testament book of James clearly warns of the potential dangers of the tongue when not wisely restrained or controlled: “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell…no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:6-8).

Of course, we don’t need to be speaking directly to someone, or even on the phone, to inflict damage with our words. We have resources like social media, text messaging and emails to insult, demean, bully, antagonize and disparage. In fact, hiding behind the curtains of cyberspace, cowardly individuals have given an entirely different meaning to “bully pulpit.”

 

Used with grace, words – spoken or written – have the power to inspire; they can be wonderful tools of encouragement. But misused, words can deflate, even destroy. This is why we read such admonitions in the book of Proverbs as:

“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked” (Proverbs 10:11).

“He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin” (Proverbs 13:3).

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21).

 

When uncontrolled, one’s tongue inevitably strays into dangerous territory, so we find this admonition to speak with extreme caution: “When there are many words, transgression is not avoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19, NAS). The NIV translates it this way: “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” 

 

President Abraham Lincoln is reputed to have said, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.” We find a similar declaration that was made many centuries earlier in Proverbs 17:28, “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.”

 

All this is not to diminish the value of words, whether spoken or written. Proverbs 15:28 offers this contrast: “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things” (Proverbs 15:28). And we find this observation in Proverbs 17:27, “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.” 

 

These days it’s so easy to dash off an email thoughtlessly, failing to consider its impact on the recipient. Or to key in a derogatory comment on Facebook or Twitter. Perhaps, like a bit in the mouth of a horse, we need sound communication principles to keep our thoughts reined in. We find some in the 4^th chapter of the New Testament book of Ephesians.

 

As we prepare to speak or write something sensitive to another person, it would be helpful to pause and make certain that we are “…speaking the truth in love,” as Ephesians 4:15 phrases it.

 

A bit further into the chapter we find what we could term the “command for effective communicators: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29).

Selfless, sacrificial love should be our primary motivation behind everything we do, according to the Word of God, including interpersonal communications. Passages like those above could serve as safeguards for everything we say and write. Being a writer who regularly uses an abundance of words in a variety of settings, I need the counsel of these verses as much as anyone. 

The Lost Art of Learning About People Through Their Letters

Technological advances have changed our lives dramatically, including how we communicate. We have social media, email, voicemail, texting and messaging. We Zoom in to connect with groups of people, and use apps like FaceTime and Skype to see folks we’re talking with. 

 

Cable TV offers a programming expanse unimaginable a generation ago, and information moves instantly around the world online, including this blog. Who knows what the digital wizards will dream up next?

 

We’d like to say, “it’s all good,” but in reality, it’s not. (And I’m not referring to misinformation and social media abuses.) Some once-cherished communication forms are being lost, or underused. One that few people are talking about is the time-honored art of letter writing.

Is that so bad? Writing letters takes time. That’s exactly the point. Handwritten letters show someone has taken care, consideration, energy and time to write them. Unlike hastily written emails that don’t require much time and – as some have ruefully discovered – can be executed without careful thought.

 

More than that, letters reveal what a person’s like, who they are and what they think about. I’ve been fascinated by documentaries that told about thoughtful letters soldiers have written to loved ones during wartime. The depth of emotion, the transparency they show, touch the heart.

 

When I was in high school, for a year or more I corresponded with a “girlfriend” I had met in another state. Those days predated cell phones, so my parents wouldn’t let me call her on our home telephone. Long distance calls were costly back then. So Jeanne and I relied on letter writing, telling each other about our lives, our joys and our struggles.

 

Our correspondence eventually came to an end, but I still remember the excitement of receiving one of her letters, which generally went on for several pages. An email from an old friend might create a similar sensation, but there’s no comparison to letters of paper and ink, sometimes even smudged a bit, and the idea that someone took the time to write it.

 

I often feel the same way when I read passages from the Word of God. To me, the Scriptures comprise the Lord’s love letters to humankind, not just telling us what He wants us to do and not do, but also revealing to us much of His character and His nature.

 

They don’t come to us in handwritten form today, but the 66 books we call the Bible originally were composed with paper and ink, then passed down through the centuries. As 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 

 

And 2 Peter 1:19-21 explains, “We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

 

What these passages affirm is the Word of God is reliable and directly inspired by Him to communicate Himself and His truth to us. We can see this throughout the Scriptures. Starting with the first chapter of Genesis, we learn about what the Lord has done – and why He did it. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…” (Genesis 1:1-31).

 

In the Old Testament, the Lord not only sets His standards and gives His commandments, but also shows His utter hatred of sin – man’s willful, conscious rebellion against God. As Psalm 7:11 says, “God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.”

 

At the same time, we also read about His mercy and forgiveness. “Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you? Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up” (Psalm 71:19-20).

 

This is encapsulated in the familiar words of John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

 

If there is any doubt that the Bible is God’s love letter to His people, consider these words from Jeremiah, hardly the most uplifting of the books: “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness’” (Jeremiah 31:3).

 

What is God like? What does it mean to be “Christlike”? All we have to do is open this holiest of books, turn to any page, and read what He has provided for us, priceless and exquisite words He desires for us to ponder, meditate upon and digest. He’s written a very long, comprehensive, amazingly personal letter. He wants us to read it. Over and over again. 

Snippets, Soundbites and Such

Don’t you marvel at how complex information can be condensed into neat little bite-sized packages? We live in a world of snippets and soundbites, with news programming covering major developments, ranging from press conferences to international crises, and reducing them to one or two-minute summations, kind of like a trash compacter for human discourse and experience.

Consider the recent debates between candidates vying for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2020. As one astute political observer stated prior to the two-day verbal brawl, the event wasn’t designed for depth and substance. The best candidates could hope for, he said, was to make a lasting impression by cleverly turning a phrase. To make their mark, hopefuls needed to tailor their communications for snippets and soundbites that could be replayed again and again.

That’s reflective of the society we’re in today. Long-winded essays and treatises of yesteryear have been replaced by tightly edited and pre-digested bits of information. Even with 24/7 coverage, the tyranny of immediacy has seduced us into believing a 90-second news report is all we need to know about anything.

With attention spans dramatically shortened, we seem unable to focus for more than a few seconds at a time. Notice the rapid shifting of scenes in movies, TV dramas and comedies. Even “Downton Abbey.” Our minds have become like grasshoppers hopping from one leaf to another.

Even though we’re accustomed to this, it’s troublesome for those who desire to grow and mature in our faith. Because you can’t microwave spirituality. We can’t treat the Bible like fast-food literature.

Not only is spiritual growth a slow process, but building a fruitful, faithful relationship with God also can’t be achieved by a few seconds here, a few seconds there. King David illustrated this vividly in Psalm 1, contrasting the righteous and the wicked. Writing about “the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,” the psalm writer then stated, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:1-3).

A key idea is the term “meditates.” It doesn’t mean sitting in a lotus position, humming soothing mantras. It’s reading a passage from the Scriptures and then turning it over and over in our minds, trying to capture its meaning and then considering how to apply its truth to our lives.

I heard a Bible scholar compare this to a cow chewing its cud. It munches slowly and carefully, not gobbling it down as we would a Chick-fil-A sandwich and waffle fries on the run. In a similar way, we’re to study the Scriptures  and digest them thoughtfully and meditatively, not as if we’re trying to cram them down in the middle of a 100-yard dash.

Elsewhere in the Psalms, we read David offering advice for staying on track in our walk with God. He writes, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You” (Psalm 119:9-11).

This doesn’t prescribe when or where we should do this “treasuring,” or even how. But it’s clear that contrary to the dictates of modern society, being a faithful follower of Jesus Christ can’t be achieved in bits and bytes while hustling from one commitment to the next.

Our minds must be anchored in God and His Word: “firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in (our) faith…” (Colossians 2:6-7). Just as I trust the tall trees growing behind our house are firmly rooted and anchored whenever a strong storm blows our way, I want my life in Christ to be firmly rooted as well, able to withstand the winds and chaos of life’s ever-changing circumstances. 

But this doesn’t happen automatically or by default. It must be intentional – and consistent. When life’s tough times come, we should fit the description of Isaiah 26:3, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.” For that to happen, snippets and soundbites just won’t do.

Salvaging Our World of Words

Another old year shoved to the basement, we begin our 365-day ascent toward the apex of whatever the new year holds. Along this trek, we’ll be carrying baggage from the past, along with supplies to sustain us for the future. Much of those “supplies” will consist of words we’ll employ, sometimes for good – and sometimes not.

The year just concluded had more than its share of words, written and spoken. An inordinate measure of them seemed connected to the name “Trump,” many times not in good ways. Having no interest in using my first post of the year to dabble in that topic, it seems more appropriate to contemplate how we’ll utilize words in the coming days.

Not everyone is a “writer,” although nearly all of us write, even if it’s just via texts, email or social media. So, we’ve all the opportunity to use words as tools – or weapons. It’s a choice we all must make.

We not only choose which words to use – and how – but also have the option of not using words at all. That’s where I’d like to focus. It was humorist and social commentator Will Rogers who said, “Never miss a good chance to shut up.” He departed from this life in 1935, more than 80 years ago, but the wisdom of this witticism seems as apropos as ever.

It was not Rogers, however, who originated the novel idea that just because you think it, you’re not obligated to share it for all who will hear it. President Abraham Lincoln is reported to have said, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.” Certainly many other wise observers have expressed similar cautions through the centuries, since the tendency to give someone a piece of one’s mind they can’t afford to lose seems universal.

This is underscored in the Scriptures, which offer dozens of admonitions about the virtues – and evils – of what we say and write. The closest to the statements above is Proverbs 17:28, which declares, "Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.”

There are others worth noting. Here’s a sampling:

• “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity” (Proverbs 21:23).
• “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered” (Proverbs 17:27).
• “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24).
• “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit” (Proverbs 15:4).
• “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18).

Then there’s my personal favorite, one I need to remind myself of often. I still have memory lapses, too many, but it’s steered me from trouble many a time: “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19).

Even for those of us who regard ourselves as introverts, communication is an integral, inevitable part of daily living. Using admonitions like those above – embracing them even – can help in our desire to be part of the solution, rather than the problem in our world that’s increasingly infected by hate speech, intolerant tolerance and irrational inventive.

Whether we make New Year’s resolutions, set annual goals, or simply intend to “do better” in the coming year, we’d be well-advised to weigh what not to say, as well as what we should say.

For Relationships, Are Emojis Enough?

“Hi, I’m Emoji. You know me. I’m the happy face, or frown, people use to express their emotions, attitudes or moods on Facebook, a text, or an email. I’m a whole lot more fun to look at than ‘LOL’ or ‘smh’ or ‘:-).’ I like to consider myself an assistant – I help folks convey feelings when trying to communicate only with words through electronic technology. I also help to save people the trouble of having to interact face to face, eye to eye, and engaging in that bothersome activity called ‘relationships.’”

Thanks, Mr. E, for your cameo appearance today. You’ve certainly become the face of social media. We’ll let you know when we need you. See ya!

How did we ever survive
without emojis - emoticons?

Did you know that only seven percent of all communication is verbal – actual spoken words? That means 93 percent of communication is non-verbal – tone of voice, eye contact, body language, pace of speech, general appearance, and other factors. Trying to effectively communicate electronically can be like trying to hammer a nail with one hand. Not easy. Hence, the emergence of emojis (emoticons) for expressing thoughts and feelings visually. If people can’t see us, how else will they know whether we’re happy or sad, angry or hurting, bored, dead serious – or just kidding?

I’m not opposed to communicating via text, email or social media. Being a communicator, I utilize these resources a lot. They’re useful for reaching out to people far away, and have also helped me reconnect with old friends and former classmates. But electronic communication – even with availability of emojis – has shortcomings. It does little to enhance real-life relationships; in some respects, it can impede relationship-building.

We’ve all seen young people in malls, their eyes fixed on their smartphones, texting – sometimes to people standing next to them! Couples spend romantic evenings in restaurants, staring at their devices rather than conversing or gazing meaningfully into one another’s eyes. (Admittedly, my wife and I have done this on occasion.) On social media, even a shy, reserved person that never speaks up in public can seem the life of the party.

People are finding it harder to make – and maintain – eye contact, one of those ingredients for non-verbal communication cited above. People have become accustomed to looking down. How can one sustain a conversation while constantly checking to see what someone’s posted on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook? An alert for an incoming message can quickly interrupt meaningful personal interaction.

As I’ve said before, it’s not my intent to denigrate electronic communication. It has its place. But God designed us for relationships, real relationships; not ones formed around bits and bytes, symbols and abbreviations. In the first chapter of Genesis, after the Lord created animals, birds, fish, other living creatures, and then mankind, there’s no indication He wrapped up His work by creating the “emoji.”

We see a premium on relationships in the Old Testament, whether it’s Joseph mending fences with his spiteful brothers; Moses prepping Joshua to lead the Israelites; Elijah mentoring Elisha to be his prophetic successor; David and Jonathan, and other examples.

We see this emphasis throughout the New Testament as well. After beginning His earthly ministry, the Scriptures tell us Jesus “appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach” (Mark 3:14). He enjoyed hanging out with them.

And while providing on-the-job training to His followers for ministering to others, Jesus didn’t send them out alone. “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go” (Luke 10:1). They didn’t go with iPhones or PDAs.

Maybe the reason Jesus came to earth 2,000 years ago was because when He gave His “sermon on the mount,” His audience wouldn’t be distracted by texting or video games. He had their undivided attention.

The apostle Paul underscored the value of relationships he’d established, writing how important they had become to him: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” (Philippians 1:3-5). Even though he was limited to the written word during his imprisonment, Paul wanted his own followers to understand the devotion to them, something that couldn’t have been conveyed through emojis – even if they had existed back then.

Despite the conveniences of electronic media, there’s no substitute for person-to-person, eye-to-eye, side-by-side communicating. In these challenging days, when our world seems in such turmoil, our need for mutual support and encouragement is perhaps greater than ever. The happy face of a living, breathing someone standing in front of me is always better than one appearing on a computer screen, a text, or a Facebook post.

Proverbs 27:17 gives us this reminder: “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Just as a blade is sharpened only by contact and necessary friction, we require direct, personal contact to become sharpened spiritually. When we need honing and sharpening for life, emojis just won’t do.