Devotion: Re-Wired
“Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.”
~Luke 18:16 KJV
I was not completely prepared for our move from the Southside of Chicago to Austin, Texas in 1993. To be fully honest, I wasn’t prepared to move to the Southside two years before. Chicago was a place where you did not make eye contact with a stranger. Everyone kept to themselves in public places. You simply tried to survive.
Then I moved to Austin and there was no way you were getting through the checkout line at the grocery store without someone striking up a conversation. It was shocking! In a good way! People were friendly. They created community. Honestly, it felt like people really cared.
I cannot help but think of my experience in grocery lines these days. I think of any kind of waiting, actually – coffee shops, elevators or restaurants. Nowadays, whenever we have to wait, we all do one thing… we pull out our phones! They have become our companions. Realistically, they have become our crutch. Why? Because waiting alone makes us feel a bit exposed and anxious.
The problem we are discovering is with our children. Now one generation in to having smart phones, with a variety of features to endlessly entertain us, we have children who have grown up knowing nothing other than this crutch. What have we learned? Well, it is pretty simple, our kids are anxious and in distress. And this can be proven statistically! Our kids are, indeed, suffering. Thank goodness we have a Savior who welcomes them as they suffer.
In his book, The Anxious Generation Jon Haidt details where our kids’ emotions are, and what can be done to help and support them. In my sermon last Sunday, I try to detail our starting point, and also get to the antidote – namely, that community, spirituality and all things “church” are what will help us all.
As we enter into this difficult discussion around what has been deemed, “the great rewiring,” know that being in community together, with your church family and the presence of the Spirit which resides among us, you will find a relief for your anxiety and a hope for your soul as we are together in the love of God.
Gracious God, guide us toward community, we pray. Trusting that you live in our midst and live in relationships, remove from us the temptation to isolate ourselves. Bring us together in and with you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Written by Pastor Greg Bouvier
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Pastor Greg heard God’s call to Sheridan in 1999 and that began a journey which has become his life’s work. Having played a variety of roles as pastor of Sheridan, Pastor Greg was called as the Senior Pastor in 2011. He leads the staff and his primary focus is on the creation of culture, the overall direction of worship and partnering with our amazing team. Pastor Greg has been married to Rose for more than 30 years and together they have two servant-hearted grown children.