20/20 Hindsight: Just a Phone Call Away

This is 20/20 Hindsight. I am posting a new one each Monday. The purpose of this series is to show God's hand of providence in the lives of people throughout history. Sometimes God works His good through a person and sometimes He does it in spite of that person.

Hindsight Obituary Entry 2:

Alexander Graham Bell

Alexander Graham Bell lived from 1847 to 1922. He was the inventor of the first practical working telephone. The telecommunications industry was born through his passion and hard work.

His design continually changed throughout his life from a phone that had to be shouted into even for short distances to one that would span a continent. The New York Times had this to say after a ceremonial debut of a new design in 1915:

On October 9, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson talked by telephone to each other over a two-mile wire stretched between Cambridge and Boston. It was the first wire conversation ever held. Yesterday afternoon [on January 25, 1915] the same two men talked by telephone to each other over a 3,400-mile wire between New York and San Francisco. Dr. Bell, the veteran inventor of the telephone, was in New York, and Mr. Watson, his former associate, was on the other side of the continent. They heard each other much more distinctly than they did in their first talk thirty-eight years ago.

Bell could not have foreseen the advent of the cell phone or the fact that just about everyone would have one. He also would not have understood why we would choose to go back to texting (essentially a telegraph). Skype and FaceTime were probably the furthest thing from his mind, but yet he made all of that possible.

The telephone has gone from mere wires to satellite and towers. It has made the world much much smaller. How has God used this invention to further His good news? Because communication is the heartbeat of relationship. We were created to be in relationship with God and others. The telephone and all of the technologies that followed (remember the Internet began using phone lines to log in) have brought us closer together and enabled us to share God's truth with others.

We no longer have to wait weeks to correspond with a foreign missionary. It can be done in an instant. The phone has given us amazing opportunity. What about you? Is it just another gadget, or a tool to share your faith? Let me leave you with this challenge. Think of someone you care about that has not decided to follow Jesus. Now, take out your phone and call them. You can use this blog as an excuse. Tell them that you read a blog that told you to think about someone you care about who has not decided to follow Christ and they were the first person that came to your mind.

Tell them how you became a Christ follower and ask if they would like to do the same. I led a friend to the Lord the very 1st time I tried it. Let me know what happens.

Read other 20/20 Hindsight entries

President Obama Takes a Pot Shot at the Supreme Court!

I just finished watching our President give The State of the Union Address.  I must say first of all that he is a very gifted speaker.  It was also good to be reminded of our Congress' efforts to cut taxes this past year.  I do however have a single problem with the speech given tonight.

The State of The Union Address should not be a speech used to bully another branch of government.  Unlike Congress who cheers, claps or remains seated in partisan fashion, the Supreme Court respectfully declines from showing any partiality.  This should be commended, but it was not tonight.  President Obama purposely called them out on a ruling that he disagreed with and asked that Congress work to correct it.  Was their ruling good or bad?  It does not matter!  This was not the time or place to call into question an entire branch of government that helps to balance the separation of powers.

We were told tonight that the American people have a lack of trust when they see Congress vote along party lines.  Yet, we are willing to single out the only non-partisan branch of government.  They sat in the front, with their hands in their laps, as they took the bullying in stride.  That is except for one who reacted as if in shock.  Justice Alito quietly shook his head and mouthed "that's not true" as the rest of the Justices sat in silence.  I firmly respect our President, and I ask that he would extend respect to our other branches of government as well.  This is especially true in a speech like this.  One that should not be used for pot shots or political posturing.

The clip can be seen here:  President Obama vs. The Supreme Court