Jesus teaches us computer science and kindness

My husband Brandon and I were recently called as Primary teachers for the seven-year-old class in our ward in Cedar City.  Last Sunday one of the counselors in the Primary asked all the Primary children to draw a picture that would help them remember Jesus.  Brandon and I drew pictures too while we supervised our class’s drawing.  Brandon is a former computer science major and whimsically drew some ticker tape with binary code and two stick figures, with the caption “Jesus teaches us computer science and kindness.”

At first I laughed, chalking the picture up to my husband’s goofy sense of humor.  But when I found his picture again today, I felt like it had deeper meaning worth discussing here.  The profound truth enclosed in the seemingly lighthearted statement “Jesus teaches us computer science and kindness” is that Christ is a teacher of all good knowledge as well as the source of a moral code that teaches us how to live.

I remember at the very beginning of the semester having the attitude that digital literacy was not important knowledge.  It seemed frivolous since I saw the Internet mostly as a way to waste time.  But very early on this class forced me to confront the real good that can be accomplished through the Internet.  The first time I remember this happening is when Dr. Burton showed us the Youtube video of the virtual choir.  I was moved when I saw so many people uniting to create something beautiful.   I began to open up to the possibility that the Internet was a tool that could be used for good.

Now I believe that the Internet is, in many ways, a blessing from God.  Like any powerful tool, it can be misused, but it also has incredible potential to unite us with others in creating good things, like information, art, music, education, communication, wholesome entertainment, or missionary work. 

I believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to use this medium in good ways and that they are willing to help us learn to use it properly.  Jesus can teach us to be kind and live morally, but he can also teach us secular subjects like computer science or digital literacy, because that knowledge comes from Him as well.  Most importantly, he can inspire us to apply spiritual values to secular subjects, even to the Internet.  So, yes, like my husband, I believe Jesus teaches us computer science and kindness.