“Virtual Isolation”

By Calvin and Lisa Wulf

info@livingforgod.net

“They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” Acts 2:46b (NIV)

With the click of a button the garage door opens. She pops in a tape and drives to work. She labors alone in her cubicle all day long, faxing and e-mailing, until the time comes to roll back into her driveway. Armed with a movie rental, she vanishes into her fortress. With the click of a button the garage door closes. 

Sound familiar? We love our CD's, DVD's, and computers. The Internet is endlessly fascinating. Our electronic gadgets give us the independence and self-sufficiency we treasure. But there's a nagging feeling inside. Could it be the ache of human isolation? Surely better and faster electronic toys will ease this emptiness. Or will they?

Consider this. Most new homes feature the garage in front. Whatever happened to porches and friendly neighbors stopping by to chat? It seems that most of us know our favorite TV characters better than we know the family next door. What's missing?

God designed us to live in harmony with him, other people, and ourselves. He intended a certain balance in this plan. Do we diminish this harmony with ourselves and maybe even with God when we isolate inside our techno fortress?

Ponder this thought. Perhaps we make ourselves known to God only as much as we allow ourselves to be known by others. If that's true, then isolation could be hazardous to our spiritual health. We may lack the inner peace we crave because we fail to cultivate deep relationships.

Does your life seem isolated and lonely? Try these tips:

• Talk face to face. Limit your chat room chit-chat.
• Go knock on your neighbor’s door. You might even like him.
• Call time out from the electronic gizmos. Relax on your porch swing with God.

You were never meant to be a lone ranger. God hardwired you for community. That means intimacy with him and other people. So stop hiding in your fortress. Click your garage door back open and step into the light of real relationships.

Living for God (TM) offers resources on Christian living.  Readers may check out the ministry’s latest workshop, Doing the Disciplines with Jesus and His Friends, at www.livingforgod.net or call (719) 578-8837.

Copyright 2003, Calvin R. Wulf and Lisa Are Wulf