Current Events Monday: Cybersecurity and Jesus
Judging from today’s technological standards, Jesus and his crew lived in a rather primitive environment. For instance, the Romans were just figuring out steam power and the miracle of indoor plumbing by the First Century AD. They also were formulating that which we know today as concrete. Oh, and Jesus never read from a Kindle. Scrolls at the time were being replaced by an entry level-type bound book called a Codex for those who were lucky enough to have a modicum of literacy.
Can you imagine having a conversation with Peter, James, John, or Paul about cybersecurity? Chinese astronomers of the time had located a little less than 2000 stars when the Apostles were turning the world upside for Jesus. The thought that one could travel above the earth to the heavens, much less hack into computer systems on Earth from outer space, would have been simply relegated to the Alex Jones types of the era.
Nevertheless, here we are. The Washington Post reports that space may indeed be the next battleground for cyber warriors and criminals. In fact, Congress just approved billions of dollars in new spending for protecting satellites and such from vulnerabilities, and there is bipartisan legislation being considered which would designate outer space as “critical infrastructure.”
In case you believe that your eyes are fooling you, see the fascinating article by click on this link: Space could be the next frontier for cyber threats – The Washington Post
So, what would Jesus and the first century church tell us about cybersecurity? Obviously, we can’t put words in their mouths without risking some serious, if not heretical, implications. We can however locate some valuable principles from the Lord’s ministry which would help us regardless of our technological era or level of expertise. Let’s examine a few of these.
- Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20). Isn’t it something that, with all of our technical progress and prowess, we still do not have better social unity or peace? Our technology does indeed make life easier than the first century in a certain sense. Yet, the advancements in technology are creating more profound problems—so much so that we are already sinking $2 billion into a problem that we don’t fully understand. Keep in mind that Jesus was not “anti-technology,” or a Luddite. He does however remind us to put our resources in places and services that aren’t destroyed by moths, rust, and hackers.
- Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:21). Our pocketbooks tell quite a tale about us—both individually and communally. According to the reputable Gartner firm, worldwide spending on information technology is around $4 trillion dollars, $125 billion of which is spent on security. Keep in mind that we could feed every hungry person in the world for about $3.5 trillion. In fact, accordingly to CNBC, iphone sales could top oil and gas industry profits in the next few years. If history is any guide, it would appear that the next few wars which come down the pike will be fought over information and tech more than over fossil fuels. However mindboggling this may sound, we ought to keep track of where we’re investing our resources.
- Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:15). This word from God remains the same and as fresh today as it was 2000 years ago. The only true and real answer for today’s problems is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Technology, however helpful, cannot save souls.