Who Is On Your Speed Dial?

Today we are going back a couple of decades to the image of a telephone. Specifically, the ivory/yellow one that hung in my childhood kitchen. The base held a receiver with a curly, dangling cord, slightly stretched. And there, in the upper right-hand corner, a plastic-covered, numbered piece of paper with names carefully spelled in my Dad’s handwriting.

Of the ten or so names on this list, most were relatives. The grandparents came first, closely followed by some aunts and uncles, and there, toward the bottom, were some friends who had made the coveted “speed dial” slots. I remember my 10-year-old self thinking pushing one button to call someone was pretty darn neat.

Fast-forward, of course, the landline has largely gone the way of the dodo. But, the speed dial? That concept is still going strong. I still have a “favorites” list on my phone along with established group texts, the modern-day version of whom we choose to communicate with early and often. These are the people we reach out to when good things happen, when the proverbial poo hits the fan, or those we know will appreciate a well-timed meme or GIF to represent a situation.

So, after all these decades of improvements in communication, does the ease and habit of being able to immediately reach a human ever work against us? My thought is yes, particularly in one specific way.

It’s always wise to look closely at something that has become habitual.

For example, when I am sad, happy, or amused I immediately communicate with my Mom, sisters, or Aunt. When my kids do something funny or frustrating, my friends are often first on the list. Spiritual conundrum? Call my Pastor. Something to celebrate or a need for the kids, the house, or the schedule? Contact the husband. And, of course, if I have a question about any other random thing I inquire of my other good friend, Google.

Do you know who I almost never hit up first anymore?

Jesus.

While this truth has been hard to swallow, I realize I have developed a habit of going the easy and predictable route of communication. The people on the other end of that call or text are tangible and often, readily available. They also provide the instantaneous feedback we have become accustomed to.

Hear me clearly, our support systems and savviness for gathering information are not problems per se. We need people. And, we absolutely should use the resources at our disposal to gather sound advice and information. However, the problem develops when our communication patterns get out of balance.

When we always reach for the phone instead of pausing with Him, we are bypassing the One who has all the perspective we could ever need. When we immediately send a text, we miss an important opportunity to train our spirit to hear His voice. When we don’t take a second to celebrate with Him, cry out to Him, or inquire of His wisdom we are potentially missing out on a sweet moment where He may just show up with something incredible.

We want to be a people whose habit is to pause and inquire of God before we go to anybody else. This may only be for a moment or, we may be led to sit with Him longer. Either way, this will let Him lead first and that is always a good start.

God help us all learn to hit our knees before the send button, putting You first on our speed dials. Exactly where You belong.

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
~ Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)

(Originally published April 1, 2019. Has been updated for freshness & clarity.)