My son-in-law bought a virtual reality system recently. After playing on it a few times, I found the experience exhilarating. I felt lost in a new world of sights and sounds as I surveyed the scenes before me. I reached for items that were not there. I turned to look beside me and behind me as I gazed at the visions that only existed on a screen in the living room. At times, the situation felt disorienting as I tried to lean on a table that was not real or when the cord wrapped around my feet and I stumbled.

I believe the world of virtual reality (VR) has many upsides. For a housebound person, VR offers freedom to explore the world. They could travel to far away lands and experience the sights and sounds of exotic spots through these systems. Someone might fly to the top of Mt. Everest from the comfort of their home without spending a dime or without the worry of frostbite. We could travel to the deepest recesses of space or the depths of the ocean and still make dinner for our family. The possibilities appear endless.

VR also has its limits. The VR world only uses two of our senses; sight and hearing. We miss out on using our sense of smell, touch, and taste. When I played with the system, I saw, but I did not touch anything, so my mind was able to understand it was not real. The experience left me with a feeling of incompleteness.

As Christians, are we passing through this life as if we are in a virtual reality world? We see the people around us, but we do not experience life with them. We see and hear their pain and suffering, but we do not reach out to touch them. We try to lean on our own understanding, and we stumble. The troubles of this world wrap around our feet and trip us up. This world can be disorienting to our walk with Christ.

Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that our faith is an actual reality, not a virtual one. Many around us live with only the sight and sound of Christ but have never felt the truth of Him, and we are called to share this truth. Romans 1:25 explains that many have bartered the reality of God for what is unreal. We are to be the ones to share the truth of Christ to those lost in a virtual world of brokenness. VR may be useful for entertainment purposes, but it is not how we should  view are purpose for reaching others in our Christian walk. The world needs us to be real and show them the real Jesus Christ.

Blessings,
Yvonne with Orphan Relief Effort

Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”