2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the release of the Apple iPhone, a device that has helped shape our culture in many different ways. Ten years has gone by so fast. In some ways it feels just like yesterday that the original iPhone came out. For such a small device, the iPhone has had an outsized influence in our lives and culture. This article celebrates and embraces the many benefits and good things this new technology has provided us with, but also makes us think critically about technology and its influence in our lives. Good things can also be misused and abused by our sinful souls. May God plant that tender fear in our hearts to open our eyes and resist the many behaviors that are damaging to our souls, families, and friends.

I remember the first time I saw the iPhone in person like it was yesterday. I was … in New York City. A fellow church member stood in line for hours to get the first iPhone at the iconic glass cube Fifth Avenue Apple Store in Manhattan. My friends and I were captivated by it, yet had no idea the impact that it would have on our lives over the course of a decade. Here are 10 observations about the powerful influence of Apple iPhone and smartphone technology.