“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. We are made to live together.”

—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The world is changing so rapidly. The explosion of technology and social media has enabled us to easily connect to people across the world but made it harder for us to connect with our families at the dinner table. Warm visits to neighbors and friends have been replaced by text messages and likes on social media. The result is, we’re more disconnected than ever. The rate of depression and suicide has risen in the United States, specifically for young adults.

Although the Bible predates social media, it does emphasize the need for true connection and fellowship. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reads, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

So this year, we encourage you to silence your phones, close your laptops, and get out and truly engage with the people around you. You can start by:

• Visiting a friend.
• Calling a relative you’ve been thinking of but haven’t reached out to.
• Banning technology (phones, laptops, tv) at the dinner table.

To truly change the world, we must engage with the people in it.