What's Water? Bringing Attention to the Technology We're Swimming In
How bringing attention to what’s shaping our everyday lives can invite God to speak about our personal devices.
Remember the proverb about the old fish and the young fish? The old fish greets the young fish, “How’s the water?” And the young fish says, “What’s water?”
I use the word proverb because there is wisdom in this little story. The young fish is oblivious to the substance that sustains its life, has formed its body, and allows it to move throughout its world. The old fish, maybe because it had been snared by a fisherman’s hook and experienced life without water, knows that it owes its life to water.
For us land creatures,1 air is the obvious parallel to our fish friends. I certainly don’t give much conscious thought to the air I’m breathing from moment to moment. Only when something is wrong with the air or there’s not enough air do I take notice.
In the 21st century, electricity is another parallel. It would be weird for me to ask you, “How’s the electricity?” Because unless there’s a power outage, we don’t give the electricity that is surging through our homes, powering our coffee makers, a second thought.
But what if I ask, “How’s the technology?” I might pause. Hmm. Do I mean my phone? My smart watch? My laptop? The AppleTV? It could mean anything because technology is ubiquitous.2 It’s everywhere. And it’s often not until it serves up an issue that I become aware again of how much technology is forming my life, impacting my relationships, filling up my brain space, cluttering up my house, and more.
Perhaps because personal technology is sort of the water we swim in, it’s worth giving some attention to how it is, like water to a fish, sustaining us, forming us, and moving us through the world.
You might be rolling your eyes and saying to yourself, “Ugh! Sarah! If I give attention to how technology is forming my life, if I ask whether my technology usage is shaping me more into Christ’s likeness, that’s gonna, like, stir up some really crappy feelings. I don’t want to do that!!”
Same, friend. Same.
But hear me out.
Bringing attention and awareness to our personal technology use might shine some light on how our devices are interrupting relationships, numbing one set of emotions, hyperactivating another emotions, forming unintentional habits, and ingraining unproductive behaviors. I know it’s not fun, but for something that has a presence in 99%--maybe even 100%--of our lives worth a teensy bit of consideration?
This week’s practice is an examen–an in-depth reflection–on our personal technology. It’s not meant to be heavy handed; it’s meant to give God some space to spotlight an area that needs attention and allow him an opportunity to speak to you. You get to respond however you like, but I hope you’ll at least have a slightly better answer than, “What’s water?”
An Examen for Bringing Intentional Attention to Technology
Turn off your phone, smart watch, and other devices. Ideally, leave them all in another room for this exercise.
Once you’ve quieted and put away all of your devices, settle into a quiet space and a comfortable posture. Slow down your breathing and begin to inhale deeply.
Close your eyes and begin to scan your body. Work from your head down. Notice how your body is responding to having left your devices in a separate room. Breathe into those parts and reassure your body that it is safe even without devices nearby.
Read and meditate on the following verses. Ask Holy Spirit to bring to your attention your relationship with technology.
“So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ–that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.” – Colossians 3:1-2, The Message
Review the last 24 hours with a focus on your use of screens, devices, and other technology. Ask Holy Spirit to spotlight one particular device, event, conversation, or reaction.
Consider the additional details and facets of what’s been spotlighted:
What were the circumstances? Who else was there? Where and when did this occur?
What thoughts and feelings were happening internally at the time? What thoughts and feelings are happening now as you reflect?
What effect did this have on a relationship? With God? With yourself?
Ask God to reveal your sin to you. External sin is not the primary focus. Instead, look for internal sin, or the sin underneath the external sin. In this, we recognize that only God can give us the insight and illumination to truly understand ourselves.
Ask forgiveness for your sin. (And if you need to ask forgiveness from a particular person, make a mental note to do that when you’re finished here.) Remember God’s love and grace for you. Remember his desire to transform you into the likeness of Christ, and this is part of the process.
Ask God for insight into how to make a change. Look for little arrows that point you toward the next right thing. Ask God for the grace to change and the grace to “look up and be alert.”
Close by turning Colossians 3:1-2 into a prayer:
Holy Spirit, I want to be serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ. Help me, Lord!
I want to pursue the things over which Christ presides. Help me, Lord!
I confess that I am tempted to shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with what’s right in front of me. Help me, Lord!
I want to look up and be alert to the action, to what’s going on around you. Help me, Lord!
Give me the grace, Holy Spirit, to see things from your perspective. Amen.Comments & Community
I’d love to know how you give intentional attention to the technology in your life. There are no right or wrong answers! What has worked and what hasn’t?
As far as I know, I have no subscribers who are fish, whales, sharks, or octopus. But hey, if you’re out there, give me a wave.
For my purposes today, I’m writing largely about the personal devices and screens in our everyday lives. Medical technology, agricultural technology, and other specialized flavors of tech are in a different box in my brain.