Stop playing your Blackberry!

I was visiting one of the biggest church in Jakarta on Christmas Eve service 24 December 2011. Everything was awesome except one thing: I saw two people were playing with their Blackberry during the sermon. Are you kidding me? Playing with your phone during a sermon where God's word being preached?

Of course I cannot and should not judge people based on their actions, by what they do or don't do. But imagine for a second if you have a chance to meet the President, would you do that? Would you send a message to your Blackberry friends talking about Mr. President or worse about something that has nothing to do with him in front of him?

Now, I myself often tempted to check my iPhone (sorry I don't have Blackberry) - not my bible app - during the sermon. I regretted. I hope you would feel the same if you ever done that.

Why is that? Is it because I will look holier than others for not checking my iPhone during the sermon? That is not the point, the point is to respect God, who sent His only begotten Son to died for us, so we may be made alive again. Playing our Smartphone during the sermon is not inherently wrong but I plead with you, don't take that grace for granted, Christ died for people who check their iPhone also people who don't check their Blackberry during the sermon.

Respect your God. Stop playing with your iPhone or Blackberry, except if you use them to read your bible, let me make it clear enough if it's not already: to read not to play! Not only during the sermon also in corporate worship where we gather and sing together.