The World is Flat

I’ve been reading Thomas Friedman’s “The World is Flat” on and off. Haven’t finished yet, but I’m enjoying it. He talks about a couple dates, 11/9 and 9/11… 11/9/1989 was the date the Berlin wall was opened and the world was introduced to new possibilities of partnering, innovating and globalization.

Usually, one would expect peace to come with an event like that happens. But 9/11/2001 came and the threat against peace showed up! Has it been there all along, or did it just show up? It has been there, but it didn’t have to be. Working with technology, I see the benefits of globalization. Using the Internet to share and spread information is a wonderful ability that we didn’t have before. Before the Internet and Satellite TV, we relied on local TV, newspapers, the telephone and the postal service! Remember these days?

It’s amazing how fast information travels now, and how sensitive and important it is to use the Internet wisely. When we send emails, they travel at the speed of light! Before the Internet, when we would discuss a subject, we had time to process and respond. Now, with the Internet and email, if we don’t think wisely, we respond a lot faster and sometimes it’s too late! That email went out and it can’t be recalled! Matthew 12:34 says, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” When we give our hearts time to respond, our thoughts can be one of a peacemaker.

These days, we have to think so fast to keep up with the pace. Some of us are adapting to that, and others are resisting…