What’s on Your Home Screen?

One Sunday morning at church, after delivering the message, I walked off the platform to wait in the wings while our worship team was leading the congregation through our final song.

While standing there waiting for the song to finish I glanced down and noticed one of our worship team members left their cell phone on a podium face up.

Glancing down at the home screen, two apps stood out to me. One was a Bible app and the other was our church’s app.

Now I have heard it said you can tell your priorities by looking at your bank statement. But it never occurred to me you can tell your spiritual priorities by what apps are on your home screen. I know for me, the apps I use most often are on my home screen.

What did this home screen say about its owner?

First, they probably read or listened to the Bible often. Why else would there be a Bible app on the home screen?

Second, they probably connected to our church through their phone a lot…maybe to listen to sermons…check on church events…etc. Why else have our church app on the home screen?

Then…mid-thought I realized that just a few days ago I had rearranged my apps to put those I use most frequently on my home screen. So quickly, as worship was finishing up and I was about to go back out onto the platform…I looked at my home screen.

The good news…my Bible folder was on the front screen.

The bad news…our church app was on the second screen. Now that’s a little embarrassing. The pastor does not have the app to his own church on the home screen of his smartphone?

So, as you are reading this, look at the home screen of your smartphone. What apps do you see?

I am betting these apps will tell you a lot about what your priorities are in life.

So go a little deeper…which of the apps on your home screen do you use the most?

The apps we use the most say even more about our priorities.

The biggest takeaway for me from my home screen was this: I should read the news less and the Bible more.

What about for you?

In Psalm 90:12, the Psalmist writes, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

The idea is our days on this earth are limited. They are a great gift, but they pass by quickly. Before we know it they are gone. Have you ever looked back and wondered where the time went?

I am writing this during the new student orientation with one of my sons on the University of Delaware campus. Today my son will receive his official student ID. He will officially be a college student. How did that happen? Where did the time go?

That’s what the Psalmist is getting at. Because our time on earth is short, he is asking God to teach us to number our days…to realize their value and worth for God. Gaining a heart of wisdom is numbering our days on earth the right way. It is using our days for spiritual purpose…for spiritual value.

So based on your home screen…are you properly numbering your days?

Maybe a better question is, what apps can you put on your home screen to help you number your days better and gain a greater heart of wisdom? Maybe a Bible app…maybe your churches app?

What apps can you move to your second, third, or fourth screen to help you number your days with more wisdom. News apps like me? Or game apps? You get the idea. Let’s go forward and number our days so we experience the spiritual growth we desire!