In a world where so much of our personal, professional, and spiritual lives are connected to digital systems — and now to artificial intelligence — wise security is a form of care. Jesus warned His followers in Luke 21:34–36 to stay awake, guard their hearts, and not be caught off guard by the pressures and distractions of life. His call was simple: be watchful, be prayerful, be ready. That same posture of attentiveness applies to how we steward our digital lives today. Cybersecurity is not fear-driven — it’s a modern expression of watchfulness and care.
Think of cybersecurity like home stewardship:
- Locks on doors (passwords)
- A doorbell camera or alarm (MFA)
- Regular maintenance (updates)
- Knowing who you let in (links & attachments)
- Insurance for disasters (backups)
- It’s not about paranoia — it’s about care.
When people hear “cybersecurity,” they often imagine something complicated or technical. In reality, good cybersecurity is about care — caring for what has been entrusted to us. At its heart, nearly all cybersecurity comes down to three simple ideas. Professionals call this the CIA triad, but the ideas themselves are very human and practical.
The CIA Triad.
C — Confidentiality (Keeping things private)
Confidentiality means only the right people can see your information.
Think of:
- Your email
- Your photos
- Your bank information
- Private messages with family.
Cybersecurity protects these in the same way a locked door protects your home. Strong passwords and multi-factor authentication help ensure only you (and those you trust) can get in. Multi-factor authentication is like locking your front door and checking who’s knocking before you open it. Even if someone has your key (your password), they still can’t get in unless they also enter a special code sent to your phone. It’s one extra step — but it keeps strangers out.
I — Integrity (Keeping things accurate and trustworthy)
Integrity means your information stays correct and unaltered.
This matters because:
- A changed bank number can send money to the wrong place
- A fake email can pretend to be someone you trust
- Altered information can cause confusion or harm
Cybersecurity helps ensure that what you read, send, or store hasn’t been secretly changed behind your back.
A — Availability (Being able to access things when you need them)
Availability means your information and devices are usable when you need them.
This includes:
- Being able to open your email
- Accessing photos or documents
- Using your phone or computer without being locked out
Backups and updates help ensure that even if something goes wrong — a device breaks, is lost, or is attacked — your information is not lost forever.
How Everyday Steps Fulfill the CIA Triad
- Strong passwords & password managers → Confidentiality
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) → Confidentiality + Integrity
- Automatic updates → Integrity + Availability
- Being cautious with links and attachments** → Integrity
- Regular backups → Availability
You don’t need to remember the acronym — just the idea:
- Keep things private.
- Keep them accurate.
- Keep them available.
Why This Matters
Cybersecurity isn’t about fear or control. It’s about stewardship — caring well for our digital lives, just as we care for our homes, our relationships, and one another. You don’t have to be an expert. You have to take a few thoughtful steps.
The 5 Most Important Cybersecurity Steps
- Use strong, unique passwords — and a password manager
- One password per site
- Let a password manager create and remember them
- This alone stops most account takeovers
- Turn on automatic updates
- Phones, computers, apps, routers
- Updates fix known security holes that attackers already know about
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Especially for email, banking, Apple/Google, and social media
- Even if a password is stolen, MFA usually stops the attack
- Be cautious with links and attachments.
- Don’t click links from unexpected texts, emails, or DMs
- If something feels urgent, pause — urgency is a common trick
- Back up important data
- Photos, documents, notes
- Use cloud backup and one local copy if possible
- Protects you from ransomware, device loss, and accidents
If someone does only these five things, they are already far safer than most people.
The 5 Everyday Devices People Most Need to Protect
- Smartphone
- Holds email, texts, photos, banking access, and MFA codes
- For most people, this is their single most important device
- Laptop or desktop computer
- Work, taxes, documents, browsing, saved passwords
- Often targeted by phishing and malware
- Email account (not a device, but critical)
- Email is the “master key” for password resets
- If the email is compromised, everything else can follow
- Home Wi-Fi router
- Often forgotten and rarely updated
- Protects every device connected to it
- Change default credentials
- Cloud accounts (Apple ID, Google, Microsoft)
- Sync photos, backups, location data, passwords, and devices
- Losing one of these can feel like losing your digital life
As Jesus taught, staying awake and watchful is not about living in fear — it’s about living with intention. In Luke 21:34–36, He urged His followers to guard their hearts, pay attention, and pray for strength so they would not be caught off guard. That same spirit of attentiveness shapes how we care for our digital lives today.
Every password we strengthen, every update we install, every backup we make is a small act of stewardship. These choices may seem ordinary, but they reflect a deeper truth: we honor God when we wisely protect what He has entrusted to us. So, as you go about your week, let this be your posture:
- Stay awake.
- Stay watchful.
- Stay prayerful.
- Stay faithful.
- And in the digital world: Stay secure.
May your vigilance be steady, your peace be strong, and your heart remain anchored in the One who watches over you.