Let me take you back to yesterday’s devotional and in real time (1/18/25), take you back to Mission Barbecue restaurant. Yesterday’s devotional was a positive experience. Let me share something that, at the same restaurant and same day, kind of twisted me up a bit.
I remind you that there is much to see in this restaurant – and even more to eat. It’s very interesting to look at the pictures and to talk about and wonder what it must have been like for those serving in the military. Some of the pictures were taken on the field. Two buddies are photographed arm-in-arm and you have to wonder if both buddies made it home alive. Televisions are playing patriotic pictures and events. Some very aged veterans are in their VFW uniforms, serving at funerals or Memorial Day events. Wounded veterans are shown doing rehab or working in various jobs as civilians.
Across from our table was a long table filled with family members of all ages. When the National Anthem played at noon, they all stood – kids included – and had their hands over their hearts. You could tell that they were moved with emotion as they sang. Then, they sat down and returned to their festivities. It was someone’s birthday in the group because the Happy Birthday song was sung. The family interacted the entire time.
At a table closer to us, I noticed a dad and two daughters. The girls were probably 4th-5th grade. Throughout the entire meal, their noses were buried in their cell phones. The girls were playing games, dad was texting and scrolling – and not a single word was exchanged between them the entire meal except for one occurrence. When the National Anthem played, dad must have caught a note or two and realized what was happening. He said, “Get up,” to the girls. They were oblivious but stood anyway, finally realizing what was going on. But as soon as the National Anthem was done, their noses went right back into their phones.
Does anyone else feel like screaming with me? Am I just a fuddy-dud? Am I too old and far removed from the current generation that I can’t see some necessity of being super glued to our phones 24/7? Don’t get me wrong. I spend plenty of time on mine. Manners, though, dictates that phones get put away at mealtimes or when you are with other people. You TALK to each other. You INTERACT. You BOND.
Well, my insights have alienated a couple of readers by now but has found support from the majority because I think I know you and you would have been shaking your head right 
along with me. Everything inside of me wanted to go up to that dad and say, “What are you doing? You are missing out on some quality “dad” time with your girls. They don’t want to see the top of your bald head all through the dinner. They might actually want to see your eyes looking at them with interest, your approving smile, and hear the kindness and love in your voice.”
It’s a good thing cell phones didn’t exist in the Bible because God’s commands in Deuteronomy 6:3-9 would have never been followed. “Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. (4) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (5) And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (6) And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (7) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (8) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. (9) And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”
How many opportunities to impart spiritual truth to another generation are lost because we are distracted or absorbed in other things? Let’s not miss the golden opportunities that God provides.
Psalms 78:5-7 says, “For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: (6) That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: (7) That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.”
Images are taken from https://pixabay.com/, https://www.pexels.com/, or https://unsplash.com/images or created in Windows Copilot. According to the websites, they are Royalty Free and free to be used for our purposes.
