Separation and technology – Most of us have heard the story written about the Greek and Trojan war. As it goes, the Greeks and Trojans had been at war for ten long years. Time and again the Greeks sought to gain victory against the Trojans, but without avail. There was a certain city, called Troy, that stood independent, and that could not be taken even by a great general (general Ulysses) with a strong force (the feared Greek army). The city was strong. It was fortified. It was built to stand the test of time, and to last against even high odds. The Greeks, realizing they could not take this city by their sheer force and power, reverted to deceptive scheming. As the legend has it, one of the Greeks came up with a plan by which they could penetrate and defeat Troy. They would build a great horse and bring it to the gates of Troy as an offering. They would paint it as a benefit to them, an offering to one of their gods. But within the horse, would be an elite force of soldiers waiting for the time the horse was wheeled within the gates of Troy. They would then wait for the cover of night, and when the inhabitants of the city least expected it, the enemy would creep out from the horse’s belly, open the entrance to the city, and by it, opening the floodgates of the enemy to storm in and destroy the city. The Greeks constructed the horse. They brought it to the gate of the city. And then, they retreated, leaving only one lone soldier to offer the gift. The Trojans came to the gates to peer at the horse from within the city. The overwhelming consensus was to bring it inside. However, there was a priest within the city who warned against bringing the horse in. He said, “Do not trust the horse, Trojans! Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks, even bringing gifts.” Then another, the princess, predicted that if they let the horse in, it would be the downfall of the city and the royal family. Both the king’s daughter and the priest were ignored, and they brought the horse in. It was not right away that the Greeks attacked. They waited until it was night, and quiet and all were off-guard. Then, in an instant, and when least expected, their carefully premeditated course of action was executed. The Greeks who had “retreated” had come back to shore under the cover of night, and were awaiting the opening of the gate, that they might storm the city. The gates were opened, and the city was destroyed.

I cannot think of anything that has torn down the barriers of separation from the world within the Christian home today more than that of technology. It’s amazing the parallels the fate of Troy has with our topic of technology, separation, and the home. Think about the striking parallels here. First, the home is one of three institutions that God Himself ordained.  Done God’s way, the home is built to last. When the home is strong and sound, what forces can defeat it? Attacks from without strengthen the home. Slander unites a home as one. Tragedy forges the strongest of bonds. Storms can even bring out the best in a home. Even against the largest of odds from without that are stacked against it, a family standing together on the right principles can prevail. Secondly, I’m reminded that the world, the flesh, and the devil are relentless and will not let up until they have conquered. When attacks from without have not worked, they will resort to deceptive scheming until they can work from within. For many years, the world and the devil have been at hard at work, conniving and conspiring how they can get into godly homes. With the advent of the internet and technology, they have found their trojan horse. They have packaged it so delicately and palatably. They have offered it so subtly. They’ve marketed it as so harmless, yet so beneficial, that the masses of Christians are peering through the gates yelling, “bring it in!” Another parallel I see is that hasn’t gone without warning. There are prudent preachers that herald wisdom, pleading with our people, “I know it seems like a gift. I know it seems beneficial, I know it seems harmless, but do not trust the horse, Christians! Whatever it is, I fear the world, even bringing gifts.” For many, it’s too late. The preacher can preach until he’s literally blue in the face, but the appeal is too strong, and we give in. We disregard the teacher that predicts that this will be the downfall of our homes and churches, because, after all, we know better. What could happen to our family? We’re stronger than that. Oh, it may not take effect immediately. Satan is patient. But the enemy is real and he is relentless. And so is the flesh that is affected. At a time where we least expect it, we will be startled to realize that we have allowed the enemy in, and the floodgates have been opened to the heart and soul of our children and our homes. Many times over, the tragedy is that by the time we awake to it, it will have been too late.

Note: this is simply an excerpt. Illustrations and statistics have not been added, but in my close to fifteen years of work with teens and college students, they are abundant.