MaryBeth LaMont

The Song “Shallow” sung by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in the movie “A Star is Born” has as one of its lines a question, “Tell me, girl, are you happy in this modern world?” Well, let me ask you that question? Are you happy in this modern world?

The word modern is possibly the operative word in that question. I hear so many statements of frustration that begin with something like, “In today’s world” or “Not today”. Even those most content with the modern world miss some things from the way we once lived and operated. Change brings with it new and exciting things. It also brings with it a certain degree of loss.

What you and I most often fail to understand is that the world has always been modern. The only difference between yesterday’s version of modern and today’s version is what forms modern takes. Once upon a time a horse-pulled combine was a modern machine. We are currently in a modern era where petroleum fueled cars are fast becoming something of the past, not the modern times.

I remember being surprised when visiting Norway, a significant oil producing nation, that it was the oil companies behind much of the pursuit of alternative energy in that nation. When I asked one of the oil company’s representatives why they were working to put themselves out of business he had an interesting response. “We have never viewed ourselves as oil companies” he answered. “We see ourselves as producers of energy and energy constantly changes and evolves. Once fire was a major source of energy. Then water. Windmills have pumped water for generations. Coal has had its time and oil is now able to see its ending. We know whatever sources become future suppliers of energy will have their time until something else comes along.”

Yes, the description of what is modern changes. Today’s modern will be next year’s, or at least next generation’s understanding of old, out of date, and anything but modern. Followers of Jesus need to worry less about what is modern and more about how we live in this modern world and use its modern ways. Will we use them in ways that serve others or ways that help only ourselves and might even do some harm to someone else?

It might seem odd to think of Jesus as living in the modern world. Yet, Jesus did live in the modern world of his time. Unlike many of Jesus’ day, it seems Jesus could read and write. He had a grasp of the scripture of his day and gave his understanding of it out freely and openly so much so that his words continue to resonate with many in today’s modern world.

We Christians need not fear the modern world. Instead, we need to try and understand what it does well and what it does poorly and work with it and against it when needed, to see to it that modern does not mean harmful.

Are you happy in this modern world? We who believe in new life can look for places where the modern world brings a new and better life. Look for places where modern brings something harmful. I think of the alienation and loneliness among young adults which I continue to read about and hear from our own students that comes in part from spending so much time on technology instead of being in person with others. Work to be more personally relational, for example.

Don’t let modern be a bad word nor assume anything modern is an improvement over something old. A task for followers of Jesus is to strive to make modern an improvement.