Monday, December 19, 2016

When You Become a Total Stranger in Your Computer's Eyes



I have a laptop that logs me in by face recognition. For a couple of years it has worked flawlessly. I love how I turn on the computer, look at the screen as a little eye icon blinks at me, and then it says, "Hello Vicky!" Strangely gratifying to have my computer greet me like an old friend.

The past few weeks, the eye icon keeps blinking, and finally says, "Face not recognized."

What???

So I get up and look in the mirror. It looks like the same face I have always had.

I turn on my laptop again.
Again the disturbing message: "Face not recognized."


Every time this happens, I freak out a little bit. Each time, I question my identity. Who am I if I am not me anymore? Who does my computer think it's seeing?? I sink into an existential crisis.

I am not kidding when I tell you that I ask God to please help me understand why I am not me. Is it more wrinkles? More grey hair? A faint mustache? Or something more ominous? Is He calling me to be something different than what I thought I was? If so...what?

Something must be changing. Is it my computer...or is it me? And if it is me...is it a good change or a bad change?

As always, I sought guidance from the Word of God. The bible has multitudinous verses regarding change.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

Is that it? Is my mind being renewed and I am being transformed to more clearly discern God's will?

2 Corinthians 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 

Is that it? Is it the wasting away of my outer self with the supposed comfort of a renewed inner self?

1 Corinthians 15: 51-53
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

Is that it? Is the perishable clothing itself with the imperishable? Am I becoming immortal?

Ephesians 4: 22-24 To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Is that it? Is my old corrupt, deceitful self being renewed and replaced with the likeness of God??

Psalm 55:19 God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old,  because they do not change and do not fear God.  


Is that it? That I DO fear God and am changing accordingly?

My computer isn't giving me any clues about what has changed to make me suddenly unrecognizable. Fortunately, from what I gather in my analysis of scripture regarding change, it isn't a bad thing...

...Unless you want to log in to your computer using facial recognition.
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As I do every Monday, I will be heading out to the sidewalks of the Southeast's busiest abortion center. Last Monday, at least 60 babies met death at the hands of their own mother. Please pray that God would change their hearts this very day, whether their computer recognizes them or not.

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