Daily Devotional for January 9, 2023
Unavailable (Part 1)
BZZZ! Shay looked down at her phone. There was a new text from her friend Kiara. Hey, you coming to the game Friday?
Shay’s thumbs flew across the screen. Definitely!
“Shay!” her mother called out.
Shay looked up to see her little brother Henry struggling to carry three plates of food to the table at once. Shay grabbed two of them just in time. “Sorry!” she said. “Just working out some plans with Kiara for Friday night.”
“Uh-huh,” said her mom. “Well, what do you think about my idea for rearranging the living room?”
“Umm…what was it again?” asked Shay.
Mom sighed. “That’s it. No more phones while setting the table!”
The next morning, Shay got another text from Kiara on her way to school. Meeting at Brinleigh’s for pizza tomorrow before the game! Shay was texting her response when a loud HONK! pierced her ears. She looked up to see a car headed straight for her.
Shay dove back toward the sidewalk and fell to the ground as the car sped by. Pain shot through her hands where they had scraped against the concrete. She groaned. I must have started crossing the street without looking at the light, she thought.
Shay ran back home. When she walked in, Mom gasped. “Shay! What happened?” she asked as she took out the first aid kit.
Shay began to cry as she explained her close encounter with the car. After Shay finished her story, Mom took a deep breath. “Oh, honey, I know you want to stay connected with your friends, but I think we need to set some boundaries for your phone going forward.”
Shay nodded. “I often feel like I need to respond right away when someone texts me, even when it’s not a good time.”
Mom gave her a hug. “God loves us so much, and He’s there for us whenever we need Him. But unlike God, we can’t be available for everyone’s needs all the time, and sometimes for our own safety and well-being—or to give our full attention to those who are with us in person—we need to turn off our phones and wait to respond. Let’s talk some more about it and then pray and ask Jesus to give you wisdom in how to use your phone.”
-Courtney Lasater
How about you?
Do you use phones, computers, and other technology wisely? Sometimes it can be hard to know when it’s a good time to use your device or respond to a message and when it’s not. Just remember that you can’t always be available for everyone, but God can! Jesus can handle all our needs, and sometimes you need to take a break from technology for your own well-being or to spend time with people in person. Trust God to help you use technology wisely so it benefits both you and others.
Thank you for reading this Keys for Kids devotional! Did you enjoy the story? Has Keys for Kids been an encouragement to you and your family? If so, would you please consider supporting Keys For Kids Ministries in our effort to continue to provide these daily devotionals to children around the world?