Pixels or People • followHIM Favorites • Mar. 2-8 • Come, Follow Me - followHIM

Summary3 min read

Podcast Summary

Podcast: followHIM
Episode: People Over Pixels • followHIM Favorites • Mar. 2-8 • Come Follow Me
Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Date: February 26, 2026

Overview

In this “FollowHIM Favorites” mini-episode, hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway discuss a meaningful story connected to the Come, Follow Me study covering Genesis chapters 25–33. They focus on the biblical account of Jacob and Esau, drawing a parallel between Esau’s choice to sell his birthright for a simple meal and modern distractions—especially the way technology, namely cell phones, can cause us to trade valuable in-person relationships for fleeting digital interactions. The hosts emphasize “people over pixels," inviting listeners to put away their phones and be present with loved ones.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Story of Jacob and Esau – “Selling Your Birthright”

[00:04-00:16] John Bytheway introduces the classic story of Esau selling his birthright for a "mess of pottage," humorously misinterpreting the phrase in his youth (“I thought, is that like a pot of message? … It’s a bowl of beans.”).
He draws attention to the idea that sometimes, “one of these things is not like the other”—that is, we often trade things of great value for things far less significant.

2. Modern Application – Technology and Attention

[00:31-01:32] John shares a story he heard from “Music and the Spoken Word,” where consultants observed children at a theme park and found that, rather than being interested in rides or characters, kids were fixated on their parents’ cell phones.
- Quote: “The children seemed to be most captivated not by the exciting rides, not by the costumed characters, not by the colorful displays, but instead by their parents’ cell phones, especially when the parents were using them.” – John Bytheway [00:36]
- The message: Kids notice what holds their parents’ focus, and they crave that attention as well.

3. The Message – “A Mess of Phone-age”

[02:23-02:42] Hank and John reflect on how choosing phones over loved ones is, in a modern sense, trading something priceless for "a mess of pottage."
- Quote: “Every time I pick up my phone and my son says to me, ‘Hey, dad,’ and if I don't put that phone away, I'm kind of trading my time with him for something kind of worthless.” – Hank Smith [02:49]
Hank underscores that there will come a day when we’d give anything for a few more minutes in-person with loved ones, yet many waste those minutes on their phones.

4. Memorable Language and Real Talk

The hosts joke about their struggles with distraction: “I’ve had that weakness. I’m trying to be better.” – John [02:18], and “Oh, me too. Worse than you.” – Hank [02:23]
They coin fun, relatable terms like “mess of phone-age” and “a mess of message” for what’s at stake.

Notable Quotes & Moments

“If I'm talking to you, Hank, but I’m also looking at my phone… It sends a message. A mess of pottage.” – John Bytheway [02:21]
“When I'm with people that I care about. Put it away.” – John Bytheway [02:33]
“There's gonna come a day where you would give anything for ten more minutes with that person, and you’ve got your ten minutes right in front of you. Why are you on your phone?” – Hank Smith [02:42]

Important Timestamps

00:16 – Introduction to the story of Jacob and Esau
00:31 – Theme park study: Children notice parents’ attention to phones
01:32 – The impact: “Kids want their parents’ attention”
02:23 – Personal reflections on the difficulty of putting phones away
02:49 – The lasting value of time spent with loved ones

Closing Thoughts

The episode gently but powerfully invites listeners to reflect: Are we, like Esau, trading moments of life-changing value for "a mess of phone-age"? Hank and John encourage everyone to be more present, highlighting that people matter more than pixels.

Listen to the full episode for more insights on Genesis 25–33 with special guest Mike Harris.

Loading summary

Transcript13 lines

[00:03]
A
Welcome to follow him.
[00:04]
B
Favorites.
[00:05]
A
This is where John and I share a single story with each week's Come follow me. Lesson John, we're in chapters 25 through 33 of Genesis. You have a story. Is it about Jacob and Esau?
[00:17]
B
It is. We've often heard he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. I didn't know what that meant. I thought, is that like a pot of message? I guess so. It's a bowl of beans. The whole idea was that one of these things is not like the other. It reminded me of a music in the spoken word. I love the tabernacle Choir, Hank. The little messages they give in there. And I remember this one. This was amazing to me. A few years ago, executives at a large theme park hired consultants to help them understand how to capture the attention of small children. The consultant spent hours in a park observing children to see what most interested them. What they learned surprised them. The children seem to be most captivated not by the exciting rides, not by the costumed characters, not by the colorful displays, but instead by their parents. Cell phones, especially when the parents were using them. And I made me laugh because I thought of those Fisher Price toys we make. Well, we'll make it in full color. It'll look like a cell phone, but we'll make it in full color. Maybe that'll help. Nope. I want the black one.
[01:33]
A
Nothing.
[01:34]
B
As one of the consultants reported, those kids clearly understood what held their parents attention, and they wanted it too. Even small children got the message that cell phones were enticing action centers of their world. More interesting apparen than an amusement park. Worst of all, when parents were using their cell phones, they were not paying complete attention to their children. This story might prompt us to pause and consider what captures our attention. I thought of the mess of pottage there. The message it sends if I'm talking to you, Hank, but I'm also looking at my phone or if I put it on the table and I've had that weakness. I'm trying to be better.
[02:23]
A
Oh, me too. Worse than you.
[02:26]
B
No. I think you even did a talk about it. Wake up from your phone. It's a good message because it sends a message. A mess of pottage.
[02:33]
A
Right.
[02:34]
B
If I'm more interested in my phone, I gotta put that away. When I'm with people that I care about. Put it away.
[02:43]
A
I've often told youth, and un youth too, that there's gonna come a day where you would give anything for 10 more minutes with that person and you've got your 10 minutes right in front of you. Why are you on your phone? There's going to come a day where, oh, you would just give anything to talk to that person again. It's a good lesson, John. It's a good lesson. Every time I pick up my phone and my son says to me, hey, dad, and if I don't put that phone away, I'm kind of trading my time with him for something kind of worthless. A mess of phone age.
[03:13]
B
Yeah, a mess of phone. A phone message or a mess of message.
[03:19]
A
I love it. Come join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. You can get it wherever you get your podcast. We're with brother Mike Harris this week. He walks through these chapters in a wonderful way. He's excited. He shows us some lessons that I'd never seen before. You'll love him. And then come back here next week. We'll do another Follow him favorites.