A number of our church’s youth and I returned this past weekend from an awesome and uplifting week at High Rock Bible Camp. I shared with the church yesterday the encouragement we received by being there, and a big thanks goes out to everyone helped make the week so great.
But today I want to tell you something that was not present at camp – noise. There was definitely the noises of play, laughter, singing, and work being accomplished. But there was very little noise about what was going on in the world. I had limited cell phone service, so my phone was rarely on me. I didn’t know the latest news or the most recent Facebook controversy. It was calming to live simply, enjoy the positive company of others, work hard, play hard, and also have some time for rest, worship, and contemplation. My time at camp reminds me of Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12:
“But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”
With constant access to information and entertainment, our world today is noisier than ever. To experience the life described in this passage, we must be deliberate about it. If we’re not, we will be swept away with all kinds of talk and activity that bless no one. Camp allowed me to better appreciate the quiet life and the beauty of God’s creation.
Some may find this ironic when it is shared on social media, but this is not an anti-technology rant. Neither is it about burying our heads in the sand or running to the hills to start a commune. It is about building communion with God and our fellow man. Neither will be possible when our lives are filled with useless noise.
In your own way each day, be deliberate about not letting your phone, Facebook, or the latest news story dictate where your heart and mind reside. Aspiring to live your own quiet life may not make you famous or always keep you in the know. But it will allow for you to be blessed and to be a blessing to others.
But today I want to tell you something that was not present at camp – noise. There was definitely the noises of play, laughter, singing, and work being accomplished. But there was very little noise about what was going on in the world. I had limited cell phone service, so my phone was rarely on me. I didn’t know the latest news or the most recent Facebook controversy. It was calming to live simply, enjoy the positive company of others, work hard, play hard, and also have some time for rest, worship, and contemplation. My time at camp reminds me of Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12:
“But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”
With constant access to information and entertainment, our world today is noisier than ever. To experience the life described in this passage, we must be deliberate about it. If we’re not, we will be swept away with all kinds of talk and activity that bless no one. Camp allowed me to better appreciate the quiet life and the beauty of God’s creation.
Some may find this ironic when it is shared on social media, but this is not an anti-technology rant. Neither is it about burying our heads in the sand or running to the hills to start a commune. It is about building communion with God and our fellow man. Neither will be possible when our lives are filled with useless noise.
In your own way each day, be deliberate about not letting your phone, Facebook, or the latest news story dictate where your heart and mind reside. Aspiring to live your own quiet life may not make you famous or always keep you in the know. But it will allow for you to be blessed and to be a blessing to others.
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