I have one tech-free week with my boys every summer , and I love it . For the past two decades , I ’ ve been driving to Ontario , Canada , for a week of fishing and fun with my dad , brothers , friends , and sons . It ’ s the ultimate week of adventure . We travel to the small Canadian town of Ignace , purchase ice and bait at Vern ’ s bait shop , then drive down an old logging road for two hours until the road ends , and we reach a rustic boat launch . We load food , water , and needed items into the boat and travel for an hour to the island we will call home for a week . We ’ re three hours from the nearest town . If there ’ s an emergency , we ’ re the medic and mechanic . We see more moose , bears , and deer than people . Cell phones don ’ t work , and there ’ s no internet . It ’ s glorious . The week serves as a digital detox , and it ’ s good for my soul .
The other 358 days per year , my computer and smartphone are constant companions necessary for daily life . The technology age has transformed how we interact with one another , raise children , and live . As parents of five children , we ’ ve had our share of challenges with screens and worked through many questions . How much screen time should we allow ? What age should a child get a device ? How rigid or lenient should we be with what our children watch or listen to ? How do we navigate social media , video games , and the internet ?
From the perspective of discipleship , technology shapes the views and values of children in a significant way . We must be intentional about the place and purpose it has in our home .
6 BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES FOR TECHNOLOGY DECISIONS
Principle 1 : Who We Spend Time with Shapes Who We Become
My children recently discovered the show Duck Dynasty , and one of my sons suddenly became interested in duck hunting , wants to drink from a Tupperware cup , and can be heard saying , “ Happy , Happy , Happy .” It was a quick case study of the shaping influence of media .
The Bible gives us instructions about the kinds of people we should not spend time with , which applies to individuals on a screen . We ’ re told not to make friends with an angry person , or we will learn his ways ( Prov . 22:24-25 ). We are not to spend time with liars ( Ps . 26:4 ), associate with a gossip ( Prov . 20:19 ), and we are to stay far away from adulterous women ( Prov . 5:3 ). That means we aren ’ t watching The Real Housewives or tuning in to the Kardashians . It means the new LGBTQ-driven Disney shows have no place in our homes .
The overarching principle , found in 1 Corinthians 15:33 , is “ Do not be misled : ‘ Bad company corrupts good character .’” God knows how easy it is to be influenced by ungodly beliefs and behaviors . Our children can easily adopt distorted ideas and corrupt behaviors . For this reason , it is crucial for us to guard our children from the influence of bad company in media . Ask yourself , “ Do I want my children to become like the person they are watching or listening to ?”
RENEWANATION . ORG 29