Out Our Way: Charlie's Phone

Luke 1:78 "A new day will dawn on us from above ..."

Out our way new technology often comes slowly. I was on the Board for a national Church committee and had to go to Atlanta. I saw a "Krispy Kreme" donut shop, and although I had heard of them, I hadn't even been to one. So I went in. Standing in line, a gorgeous blonde came up and started talking about the various flavors. I was flattered she had struck up the conversation with me, but later learned she was actually talking to someone else on her "Bluetooth"... something I had also heard about but never seen.

Now it happened that, as pastor, my phone in the study was constantly ringing - so it was a relief to go out with Charlie and work Big Mike's herd on the "Tiger Ridge" where no one could reach me. Or so I thought.

We had just checked a number of thorn tree infested arroyos on a lovely Fall day - and as we came out onto a ridge and let Doc and Jet have a breather, I loosed the reins and leaned back and said to Charlie: "Thank God there are no phones out here." Guess what. After a major flood and tribal corruption had caused panic on one of the reservations, our senator used his influence to get millions sent to the Rez and also to get them cell towers. The towers also gave non-Rez folk access to cell phone, but I didn't know that. But Charlie did! After my sigh of relief about no phone calls, Charlie's new cell phone went off. Technology had caught up with me. With the demise of landlines, newspapers, phone books, and "woke" politics, we are reminded, as Bob Dylan sang, "The times, they are a changin'."

Some of those changes are not so good, but history also reminds us that the bad changes - like the Nazis and the Communists - don't last. God is in control and change that moves us forward into the Light may be uncomfortable simply because it is change, but change that calls "evil good and good evil" ( Isaiah 5:20) has always failed the test of time.

I was unhappy that Charlie's phone rang up there on the "Tiger", not only disturbing my peace bu as it was "Big Mike" giving us more work that afternoon and messing up my mental game plan for the day. Even so, Big Mike provided us with new tasks that came to benefit the herd sooner rather than later. Maybe change isn't always a bad thing!

Now even I carry a cell phone just like Charlie, and while resenting it at first, I have come to discover it really CAN BE a positive bit of technology. Although I prefer a cowpony to an ATV when working cattle, there are times when the gas "pony" is a definite plus.

We are in a difficult time as the world divides as "disagreement" is replaced with overt "hatred" - and bullets rather than ballots are becoming the primary means of governing in much of the world. But even in the dark times, history reminds us that a new time is coming. Like Hiter. Stalin. Mao, and now Khomeni - the bad change may be dark and sinister and the gullible many - but eventually people wake up as God opens their eyes - and "the times, they are a changin" becomes a positive message again.

I admit I was upset by Charlie's phone up there on the Tiger, and saw the end of an era I had come to love. But a new world emerged as communications became easier for all people - and despite my old "dust eater" mentality, the world has, in many ways, changed and improved. The bad changes will not last and the good ones, like Charlie's phone, despite my reluctance to accept the change - continue. The LORD knows what He is doing even if this old "dust eater" doesn't.

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Brother John

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The Rev. John Bruington is the retired pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Havre. He now lives in Colorado, but continues to write "Out Our Way." He can be reached for comment or dialogue at [email protected].