“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” – Ephesians 5:15-17

WE FOLLOW ON from part one HERE, and taking a slightly different angle, we’ll be remaining within context of the main theme – that evil is present throughout the ages.

When asked the question: what is evil, many are predisposed to assuming that it’s overtly apparent in nature, something that is vile, repulsive, obnoxious, diabolical, and deeply disturbing beyond human articulation, but that is not always the case as the activity of satanic influence can initially appear as light, and plausible for just cause in the eyes of many. Evil can be so deceptive in masquerading itself as being victoriously right, and many are prone to thinking that such connotations only applies to the narrative of the likes of Adolf Hitler, Heinrich Himmler, Osama bin Laden, and Charles Manson… the list goes on, but the most deceptive in nature is when it gains sway of the masses because of the powerful appearance of good that conceals underlying dark motives.

One of the many aspects in how evil is being manifested, while at the same time hidden from the majority, is the prevalent mindset in regards to an embracing of the way in which technology is supposedly advancing with all of its implications. Now, that’s a strong word to associate in context of our modern era’s developments, and some no doubt would call it absurd to label it as such. Bearing in mind, what I am certainly not doing is calling technology itself evil; what I will be highlighting are some of the motives and direction the way in which technology is heading and the trappings contained therein.

Let us take part of the Scripture quoted above, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of time, because the days are evil.”   The imperative need today is utilising the best use of what time we have, and many challenges present themselves before us that have enormous potential in swerving us from doing that. Rightly, Oswald Chambers stated, “The good is the enemy of the best” – we often tend to think that it’s the overtly bad that hinders. Think again! It’s not making good use of time, but striving to discern the unmatched best use of it; anything other than that is foolish where the will of the Lord is not known. The days are evil, and how we need to know what the will of the Lord is that safeguards us from being foolish. Being unprepared, by not discerning the will of the Lord, leaves us vulnerable to being swayed by the current evil trend of our era.

Practically everywhere I turn, I see countless scores of people hooked to their phones. I often wonder what so many would do without them; it’s as if their entire life is wrapped up in them – and they are!; some cannot function in life without these devices. Who would have thought, say thirty years ago, that most people would spend more time looking down on their phones than anything else? I have one myself, and I’m not knocking them – despite a number of issues I may have concerning these devices – they have their uses which are helpful. It’s the fact that society is engrossed with them. That’s all they are – just very small devices packed with incredible technology. But there’s the catch –  life engrossed with a plethora of apps that consumes much of the day. It’s as if – for many – it has become their virtual world more than the three-dimensional one they physically reside in.  

For hours on end, countless scores of people scroll through Facebook rather than seeking the face of God through the scroll of God’s word. Neither is it limited to such a platform, as there are many other media avenues with mindless activity that TikTok’s (squanders) time away. Hours will dissipate in what seems like minutes, and more often than not the effects are mind-numbing, doping the intellect against reality.

It’s hard to observe what excites a young generation today via information technology, most of which is cheap and shallow thrills, yet it enthrals an upcoming age group into oblivion, hypnotic and mindless activity.

Not excluding other age groups, we find a shroud of dulling has come over our era to where most people no longer think for themselves. Google does that for them at the expense of sound critical reasoning. It’s increasingly becoming more difficult to hold intelligible conversations without having to consult Google for answers. Years ago there was the ability to pull such answers from the top of our heads because we safely exposed our minds to sound education.

Technology has its benefits, but I fear we lack the wisdom to harness it unto good, but rather harm unto ourselves and others.

There is no technophobia here influencing what I write, but my concern is that we have made such paths an end in and of themselves rather than using them as a means to an end – to the glory of God.

Artificial Intelligence is a wonder as it develops before our eyes, but I perceive the prevalent absence of wisdom in how to direct it for the good of others. Not to mention a lack of discernment among Christians in failing to realise in how the powers of this age are driving it to surveil the world for unjust gains and oppressive measures.

We are eagerly running along with the synthetic to replace the organic; virtual reality over and above reality. We are hailing information technology and cyber-physical systems  that will soon replace human efforts and ability, rendering us incapacitated to withstand such synthetic intelligence that will soon independently think, act, forcibly direct and control in so many vocational and social aspects of our lives.

The beginning signs of damage are already evident. During the days when mobile phones were basic, or even when landlines were commonly in place, we were far more communicative. Now we do it through text or email – if we care to bother! Somehow, we have not the time any longer to physically meet up because we’re too busy. Busy with what? Were we not promised that technology would make our lives simpler and less complicated, creating more time for us? Quite the opposite. It has rendered us more busier, some dysfunctional, lazy and apathetic as our times are consumed with the demands of technology and its ‘justifiable’ convenience.

Aldous Huxley in his book, ‘Brave New World’ – foretold that society would be hypnotised through entertainment, or that would be the distraction from the bigger picture, and from what picture? Do we not observe that a false mainstream news narrative distracts from the real one as they’re being entertained by a persuasive and convincing propaganda? And how so many fall for it.

There was a time where folks would run to escape reality through entertainment via fantasy; now some are longing to escape synthetic representations of reality and get back out into the real world to feel the sun on their face, feel and smell the sea-breeze air, hear the wind make its song through the summer-leafed trees, watch the invisible wind make its appearance as it unpredictably dances with the lake’s surface – and yes, meet up with others to do it where “iron sharpens iron”. The majority of people have ‘no’ time to do it, and those declining such opportunities coincide with the increase and advancement of technology, in hope that somehow our ‘advanced’ era will deliver what it has been ‘promised’ to give – greater freedom.

People are quite content to text one another in the same room, snap chat rather than meet up physically and enjoy real social interaction. We are somehow and slowly losing the ability to use that muscle in between our jaws and communicate fearlessly and articulately in real time, face to face, and folks are more than satisfied with that – they embrace it.

My friends, this is “the new normal” of our fourth industrial revolution in its initial stages, veneered with all kinds of security, equality, inclusion and progression. Its long-term effects will prove to be digressive for humanity. We are being slowly lulled with what appears promising and spectacular, and it is little by little and step by step such goals are achieved that so few rightly discern, expose, and warn against.

Am I saying that such technology is evil? Are industrial revolutions wrong? Absolutely not – no more than money is not evil. We know the Biblical implications there. We have only to look at what preceded the first revolution. The seventeenth century Great Awakening where God changed nations. God blessed that era along the lines of scientific exploration, subsequent to revival. Now, that can be used for good or bad.

God’s gifts unto humanity have been turned into pursuits of selfishness. It’s the human heart – corrupt motives –  behind it all, and unless the Holy Spirit governs our enterprises, then what is deemed good can so easily become perverse and utilised for sin to gain advantage of unto evil.

I don’t need to go into detail of mapping out technology’s path; some of you already know, but what I am pointing out is, as Christians, beware of mainstream technology that is sabotaged for evil. At its core – under the direction of those who have no interest in God, or rather, dare to act in the place of God – are the motives and agendas to further enslave society for greater gain.

Indeed, do not fear technology, but instead use it wisely, prayerfully, discerning what is harmful, evil, and always with the honour and glory of God in view. Christ came into this world at the height of Roman civilisation, where the Gospel would advance amidst the Empire’s developments (with God foreordaining it); God in His wisdom knew the right time where communication would travel faster than any other time prior.

May God, in His wisdom, once again turn what is intended for evil for His good and purposes, granting us great wisdom to rightly discern, and the power to single-mindedly carry out His will in the time that has been given us.