Response to "Hope in the Humanless Economy" - CT (July/August 2017)
The article “Hope in the Humanless Economy” by Kevin Brown and Steven McMullen in Christianity Today (CT July/August 2017 magazine issue) compares two views of work: 1) materialist narrative and 2) creation narrative. As Christians we need to remember we are made in God’s image and focus on God-ordained creative work (creation narrative). As many jobs become automated by robots, we need to seek the Lord to creatively transition into new jobs and work “that may allow us to better exercise an array of God reflecting capacities (Christianity Today, July/August 2017 issue, p. 34).
“Technological innovations can elevate our work, affording employees more opportunities for creative expression, collaboration, decision-making, and service to others (Christianity Today, July/August 2017 issue, p. 34).”
So – as we focus on the future, I believe that it is more important for us to continue to hone in on our skills for creative thinking, problem-solving, collaborating with others and being able to adapt to new surroundings and technology. We must remain teachable and flexible as the World around us changes remembering that Jesus is “the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb 13:8)” – He will continue to lead and guide us to make a difference!
My prayer is that the students I interact with on a daily basis will gain the skills and ability to be able to adapt in the ever-changing job market…that even if they need to retrain for new jobs and work themselves out of a job, they will always be learning and growing to the next level with Jesus!
How about you? Are you ready to utilize new technology for God's glory? Is your identity connected with the work you do, or is it connected to who you are in Christ? Can you still fulfill your purpose on this Earth utilizing new technology? What can only you accomplish that technology cannot? I know for sure technology is impassive and cannot show any characteristics live "love." So we can at least shine as Christians sharing our love and grace with others (Jn 13:34 - 35).