Gadgets
Are you a gadget person, I will confess that I am. When I see the latest piece of technology I do get a little excited and find a reason why I should buy it. However I am not quite as bad in the kitchen as I have learnt the hard way - buy a kitchen gadget and within a few months the excitement has worn off and the item is tucked away all cosy in the cupboard and won't see much light for many months . . . years . . . ever!!!
I have been reading And He Dwelt Among Us by A. W. Tozer and particularly liked his comments regarding gadgets. Now Tozer died in 1963, so the gadgets we have today such as computers and the many "labour saving" devices in our homes had not been invented. However when I read his views on gadgets, it could have been written today in 2011.
How excited we (I certainly do) get when we buy a new gadget for the kitchen and it does the job much quicker . . . faster than what our grandmothers could have done with the same task in. We call this progress and think it is wonderful . . gadgets save us time. Tozer however has a different view on gadgets and said that all these wonderful gadgets that we love so much are just temporal belongings "for just a brief moment", he goes on to say "it will not be long before other improved gadgets will replace the ones you are in love with now". How true is that comment, how often (and we are most certainly encourage to) "upgrade". I find that so many things these days (in particular white goods) aren't made to last, is this a sneaky way of getting us all to "upgrade" to the next model? This of course creates a vicious cycle which keeps on going and going with no end in sight. We are never quite happy with the gadget we have, as we can see a even better one available.
With all this focus on the contemporary . . . the here and now . . . we are sadly taking our eyes off what is important and become consumed by the world. Whilst these gadgets are temporary, God is everlasting . . . "All the things of this world are here for but a moment and then are gone".
Tozer isn't say that we should avoid labour-saving devises, he just wants to remind us that these are only temporary items and that we should not be consumed by them . . . always hankering after the next new thing . . . or wanting something better than what we already have. Instead we should be looking towards God who is far bigger and everlasting . . . that is where our focus must be on. Not material goods.
~oOo~
I think you are right Jo! Today's goods are often designed with built-in failure features to make us buy more.
ReplyDeleteSimplicity is best. I know I don't need or use many gadgets that have built up in our home.
I actually forget that we have some things.
And yes - God must come first - gadgets way down the list!
The thing that is weird about the way things are made to last only a short time is that people are always on about being "green" and creating less rubbish... So why don't they make things last better so we're not forever disposing?!?
ReplyDeleteYou are very right... And I am quite happy not to keep up with the Jones' in most things - so long as what I have fulfills my needs :)
Clara - Often we can fulfill our needs without lots of gadgets but it may take us just a little longer to complete a task. People are in such a rush these days.
ReplyDeleteI wondered what men like Tozer would thing of 2010 as he thought the times he lived in were getting taken over by gadgets!
oh you struck such a chord with me on this! what amazes me is that no matter how many 'time saving' gadgets are introduced people don't seem to have any extra 'time' on their hands and our lives these days are probably a lot busier than years gone by! it seems like the time saved gets filled up with other things and so the rat race continues....hmm, I shall stop now:)
ReplyDeletewe are happy with our old tv which is really not that old and our other so cold 'older' appliances!
I once heard a preacher say "don't try to keep up with the Jones' because the Jones' are most probably broke', lol!
We definitely follow those words of wisdom around here:)
The technology is changing so quickly that I just can't keep up. For me it is too much...It seems like when I've finally learned how to use something it becomes passe' and then you have to learn something else. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteWhat I find interesting also is that people have to have all these perfectly new up-to-date appliances for the kitchen yet most rarely cook anything.
As you can see your post struck a chord with me, LOL. (o;
Great thoughts!