First person: OK, you really need to put your phone down. Here’s why.

I admit my struggle here. I’m so accustomed to having my phone with me that I almost unknowingly and reflexively check it continuously throughout the day. I’m trying, though, to put it away during meetings and conversations. Here’s why:

1. It’s rude. Sure, emergencies sometimes happen – so I’m not arguing we never pick up the phone. I’m simply saying that we disrespect the person in the room if the people contacting us via email, text, or phone call always take priority.

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2. It’s frustrating when someone’s seemingly not paying attention in a meeting. Actually, it really frustrates me — but then I sometimes do the same thing. I need to make myself quit being a hypocrite.

3. We listen better if not focused on our phone. Only God can listen to more than one person at once and hear everybody perfectly. I can’t do that, even if I’m convinced that I can. My phone distracts me from listening closely.

4. The world won’t end if we’re not immediately available to everyone. The work of God really does go on – and it goes on fine, actually – even if I’m not immediately responding to every email chain or following every tweet. 99.99 percent of the world isn’t worried about my conversations.

5. Ministry is primarily about dealing with people face-to-face, eyeball-to-eyeball, heart-to-heart. I realize that we do a lot of ministry via text, email etc., and I’m not denying the value of those approaches in our electronic world. I am saying, though, that a person sitting in front of us in a meeting or discipling encounter deserves our undivided attention.

6. If I’m honest, I sometimes turn to my phone when the meeting is tough to endure – and that’s wrong. Maybe I’m just tired, and I need help staying awake. Or, frankly, some meetings are simply more exciting than others. I need to learn to pay attention better without resorting to looking at my phone.

7. Be ever aware of the tendency toward idolatry. If I turn to my phone so regularly that I literally cannot walk away from it, I’ve just identified an idol. Ouch.

8. It’s time I listen to my wife. So, here’s a confession: my sweet, gentle, loving but observant wife has more than once quietly whispered to me during a conversation with friends, “Put your phone away.” She’s right — as usual.

Any thoughts that you would add?

EDITOR’S NOTE — This article was written by Chuck Lawless of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and originally published at chucklawless.com.