What people are experiencing while playing the Slowing Game

Last Sunday at Sanctuary I asked whether people have been playing the Slowing Game and if so, what they are experiencing. People talked about driving slower and walking slower -- and being reminded in their slower-than-normal pace that they can use that activity to connect with God.

One person said she had stood in line at the grocery store and resisted the usual habit of immediately getting on the cell phone to see what's happening. Not being preoccupied with the virtual world made her more aware of what was going on in the real world. She seized the opportunity to be neighborly, and she engaged in some idle chit-chat with a couple of other people in line.

She said the conversation was nothing profound. Yet I see it as very profound. Look at how the ubiquity of web-based technology threatens to turn us all into cell-phone-holding drones who barely see each other. It threatens to choke out the deep-seated longing in each of our hearts to be seen. You never know -- being seen, in even that small chit-chat way, may have been the best thing that happened to those other people all day long. Even if not, isn't seeing and being seen a deeply Godly and spiritual thing?


Connecting with God while going somewhere. Connecting with our neighbors through chit-chat. Aren't these tiny steps closer to how we are meant to live?

Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself." These are the two touchstones of his entire ministry. It's the life he wanted to pass on.

So get out there and go slow. Stand in a line somewhere, keep your cell phone in your pocket, and engage in some idle chit-chat. You never know what it might mean to someone else. And I bet God has something to say to you in the process.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 16, 2014 at 9:49 AM

    In my opinion, from a scientific point of view . . . society is in real danger of stepping into serious loss of relational abilities. If brain cell connections are washed away at certain points of our development from unuse NOT smiling and chit chatting with people will cause these washes to disconnect us from each other early in life.

    Find a 9 month old baby. When you catch her eye contact, smile very big and watch what happens. Pure unfiltered JOY. That's what fills us. At nine months baby has this tremendous brain cell connection thing happening and the central thing that makes it work for our well being is eye contact and smile. If you love your children, ditch the devices. If you love people make eye contact and SMILE!

    Joyful Beginnings Baby Calendar
    http://www.lifemodel.org/product.php?type=other&rn=28

    Joy Starts Here (where brain science and Scripture meet) by Wilder, Khouri, Coursey, Sutton
    http://www.joystartshere.com/

    Luminous chpt 4 is about our Body. The only way to smile is with your body.

    ginger

    ReplyDelete

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