This is a wonderful opportunity to share with individuals in a different kind of way. When we are talking (media free) with people, it is immediate, on-the-spot and spontaneous. And while texting can be somewhat the same, if we take the time, it adds the dimension of pause. In a face to face, that pause is short. Any pause too long would be awkward. Not so with texting. Pauses can be the norm… they give us time to think, to edit, to choose the better way of saying something. And if in texting, there is the genuine assurance of mutual interest and availability in the written conversation, I find that what is said is not like a conversation over coffee. Topics, vocabulary, can be (and for me are) quite different. I have always found that when I invite others to share from their journals (a poem, a reflection, a thought) that we are going to places in a conversation that we would never gone otherwise. And I don’t mean the topic of the conversation, though that may be the case, but the very way in which that conversation is expressed. And yes, with that change in how things are expressed, new topics are then pursued.

Imagine from the days of old when love letters were written from a long distance. So much care and thought went into those letters to get things just right! My dad and I would have some of the most meaningful communication by letter. I’ve kept and treasured those interchanges. I felt I was getting an entirely different side of him in those expressions.  And so, for texting between friends, pushing past the superficial banter, this kind of care can (and does) happen with texting. It’s a profound opportunity.

 One last thing, which is probably obvious. I am constantly adding a photo or portion of a document to expand the ideas expressed. A student was writing about her devotional reading in Ezekiel 37 so I responded: “When I was in Israel, three weeks ago, we arrived at the Masada. I looked out a window and saw this view of the Wilderness and read this plaque:

Texting (or emailing for that matter) can take us there. Chats after fellowship meetings… not so much.

One last example: I was texting with a student who was feeling the fear of the times. And so, I just sent something I had written. In a normal conversation, that might have been weird or inappropriate for the time it would take to share it… but in a text, all bets are off. Here’s what I sent:

Don’t Be Afraid       (Dave Petty)

 She was smaller on the inside place than the wide, wide world.

Gotta say this big, big thing to a little, little girl 

Whenever you ever tumble down 

And you crumble down on the inside place

Whatever the panic attack whatever the human race

Leaves you with, Let me relieve you with this.

This world is just a spot, 

A dot on the map of the Infinite… Don’t Be Afraid

 

This cosmic imitation of greatness is less than a handful in the hands of the Holy

And His blessed recitation (we call it good news) goes round you, cause it found you

When you were freakin’ out, Ground you to the real Shout out

 

Hey God is not an afterthought He is the great Originator

So tell the world I’ll see you later, Alligator

You think you got big teeth have you seen the jaws of the Leviathan?

Of the Mountains, of the tidal wave, of the jagged lightening streaks across the sky?

Hey Dragon breath! Have you seen the teeth of God

That can swallow kingdoms in the blink of an eye?

I’m puttin’ my faith on and it feels real good

Just right, got a glow in the dark grin in the middle of the night

Aight? And we can dance on the teeth of the enemy

I hope you follow me… Don’t Be Afraid

 

Beyond the limits of the creature we got Divinity

In the neon gleam of His ever lovin’ eye

We shout the shout heard round the whole wide world

We shout the shout heard round the whole wide world

Ain’t nobody ain’t no thing but a chicken wing

God is bigger

God is bigger

Yeah… Don’t Be Afraid

God is bigger, he is great, the sustainer and the Originate

The Agitator, he stirs the whole world up

Earth Shaker, and the giver of the endless cup

Around the rim of the wide, wide world is the rim of the chalice

Lovin’ the universe. Destroyin’ the malice.

You get a giant room in His heavenly palace.

You think that He’s irrelevant? It’s just a fallacy… Don’t Be Afraid

The Rev. Dave Petty, EUNOIA Creative Christian Ministry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA