#iCONVICTION – The Disconnection of Connection

I have always been a people watcher. As a little kid, I remember going to a Phillies game and using the binoculars to scope out the people sitting right behind me in the stands instead of watching the game. My brothers would grab me by my shoulders, tell me I was being rude, and turn me around to face the field.
I haven’t changed much since then as my most favorite places to people watch are in airports, malls, city streets, and up on the boardwalk where I live. I am fascinated by the many different idiosyncrasies and personalities that I observe.                         
Most recently, I was sitting in a mall waiting for my wife to finish shopping and my little hobby once again kicked in. But this time, I found myself thinking about the major cultural shift that has occurred during the five years I was locked away from society.
I now notice a common thread everywhere I go and it runs through all types of people, both young and old. It seems everyone is preoccupied with the same device:  the cell phone.
It’s eyes down and fingers tapping. It’s connecting to a virtual community by being totally disconnected to the reality of the people in their presence. There is hardly any interaction, nothing to watch, just people staring blankly into their device: Scrolling and tapping, mindlessly zoned-out. 
Don’t get me wrong—I saw me in that crowd. I have quickly adapted and been sucked into the “dead-zone” of my iPhone and I feel the strain of having it attached to my hip. I guess it is my love for people watching that has opened my own eyes.
The bing’ing sound of my phone has such control over me, because when it beckons me to come by way of notifications, alerts, or reminders, I go without hesitation. And the more I know what’s going on within the social media world of my phone, the less I know what’s going on within my own personal world. Sadly, my wife and I can be sitting on the same sofa within reach of each other and because of our device and its inviting apps, we can be so out of touch.  
So here is my public confession: I am consciously working on disconnecting (or should I say withdrawing—since that is how strong the addiction to this habit really is), as I desire to re-connect with the people around me.
As a youth leader, I can attest that now more than ever before, this generation (which I have previously called the iGENERATION) is the most technologically connected yet the most spiritually and emotionally disconnected. The world on our phones has made us numb to the world at hand that is right before our eyes.
I can spend more time posting a picture with a thought provoking faith message or Bible verse than actually being that picture in person and living out that verse to the next person. It ought not to be.
Am I saying we shouldn’t use our handheld devices? No. Use away. But I am saying we should never allow a possession to possess us. Essentially, I can use my phone however and whenever I want; but if it’s not benefiting me or blessing those around me, then I need to have the self-control to put it down.
I want to remind us to put away the phone from time to time and take time to “scroll” through God’s Word or “tap” into our family’s heart. Get personal. Hey, the people around us may not beep when they want our attention, but God designed every soul to crave fellowship with Him and others. It’s a given and no app can tell you that. 
Matthew Maher is a former professional athlete and author of the newly released book U MAY B THE ONLY BIBLE SOMEBODY READS: R U LEGIBLE? His “Decisions Determine Destiny” assemblies are funded by State Farm and service youth in the tristate area. He served four years and seven months in N.J. State prison and was released August 2014. Learn more at www.themattmaherstory.com, where his blogs have been read by over 500,000 people in every state, 121 countries, and in 67 different languages. Follow him on Twitter @mattmaherstory and on Instagram @matthewmaher7