Fishers of Men

A computer whiz from MIT is chipping away to build a computer that costs $100. He hopes to produce a computer that can be made available easily to the poor who would otherwise never own one of their own. He hopes to build a computer that is so cheap that people from all countries in the world could afford to link every child to the internet. His goal is in line with UN's World Summit on the Information Society whose aim is that "everyone, everywhere should have the opportunity to participate in the benefits of information technology.” Only 14% of the world population has internet access, compared to the US where 62% of the population has access to the internet.

This has raised new fears in the minds of some in the Christian community that computers may lead us away from the faith. Offering computers to the poor is like offering rocks instead of bread. World leaders fear that criminals would use technology for economic fraud, violence, terrorism. Computers have become a necessity for most of us. They help build international communities, families and acquire knowledge.

From a spiritual perspective they provide a large number of resources for reading for spiritual growth viz. access to Burderof Communities. The spiritual vibrancy of the internet ministry must continue to grow as it is an avenue to reach a large number of people who would never have heard about Christ. Like any good thing, over use or employing for the wrong purposes makes it an evil. This is what I fear the most. Computers can control our thoughts, and if used wrongly can sow satanic seeds of evil, doubt, and hatred. As Christians we should never forget that Jesus is our master. If we make computer’s our master then we will falter and go astray in our spiritual lives.

But if we use computers to make friends then we are fulfilling God’s wishes (John 15:15). Do we know where our treasure is (Matthew 6:19-21)? Computers for the poor who don't have bread makes no sense. Computers for the poor who can use them to get bread certainly makes sense. It goes in line with teaching a man to fish will make him more independent, than to keep giving him fish. Jesus said follow me and I will make you fishers of men ( Matthew 4:19).