Unbound: Freedom in a Digital WorldSýnishorn

Having situated the Colossians fully in their life with Christ, he now implores them to cast off all the man-made regulations and systems of control that belong to the world. He reminds them to not allow others who are not spiritual to judge them. People who have not died with Christ will attempt to judge Christians with what seems like knowledge. It will be clever and even logically true. Yet, these people have so thoroughly lost their connection with God that they no longer even flourish or grow.

It's hard to be different. I mean, it's easy to be different, but it's hard to be around others and be different. I was at a family gathering not long ago with three generations of people, most of whom only see one another a couple times a year. I was stunned when, after dinner, the room grew quiet. I watched one person after another turn towards their phone. It did not matter the age; within five minutes, everyone had their phones out and was lost in the shadow of their screens.

One of the cousins who hadn't brought their phones spoke up, "Do we all want to play a game or something?"

Immediately, someone on their phone responded, "Quit phone shaming us!"

To follow Christ faithfully requires being different from the rest of the world. That also means that we will be different in the way we engage with our digital technology. The world around us will judge us for it. They will think we're different. They might even think we are trying to phone shame them. Yet, in Christ, we have been fully justified before God. He is supporting us, holding us, and growing us every day. We are practicing a more substantial life even if others think it's silly.

In doing so, it gives us the ability, when our friends and relatives who don't know Christ feel empty and hollow, to share with them something substantial and eternal. Rather than just a cute GIF or emoji,

Practice freedom from feeling judged today by doing something silly with somebody else. I would encourage you to make funny faces with a friend or spouse. Have a thumb war, best of 3! Play “walk this way” through the grocery store.