Concerning Social Media

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Youtube

(and those are only the ones I know!)

More and more, people are trying to connect with the help of technology. It seems that every time I turn around, there is yet another new idea for the Internet or the phone. And we like social media, because it's fairly safe. We can make a comment without engaging in a whole conversation. We can unfriend people. We can do it from our bedrooms and feel like we are still interacting with the world. Through the many photos, comments, videos, and "check-in" points, we feel like we know our friends (and even strangers) on a deeper level.

I am not here to debate whether or not social media is damaging to real-life interaction, but because it is not going away, this is a topic that needs to be addressed. A whole generation is now growing up with it as a regular part of life.  If we said that social media will have only a positive effect on people, we would be very naive. I see the current obsession with social media as a cry for attention and recognition from a world that longs for true love. We want to be known.

A few days ago, a family member was showing me the Instagram photos on her phone. With a simple touch of her finger, she could see glimpses of other people's lives. She could know what they were doing that day. And she could feel connected to them, wherever they are.

Part of me felt the old twinge of being the outsider. I don't have a cell phone, so I don't have Instagram. I also don't text, which is the primary form of communication for most of my friends. If my home phone rings, I usually assume that it is AT&T trying once again to get me to sign up for their TV service. The more people use new technology to communicate, the more isolated I feel.

But I am making a choice that I know is for my own good. If I have Instagram and know that people are posting photos every day, I would only want to be on my phone all the time. And I know that I don't need more distractions in my life. The few precious minutes of free time I have should be devoted to being in the Word, practicing my cello, enjoying my family, praying, or reaching out to people with a phone call or letter. (And actually, one of the results of my feeling isolated is that I am more intentional now about connecting!)

Also, seeing other people's photos often stirs up envy in my heart, or sometimes, apathy. After seeing so many photos of beautiful sunsets, I no longer feel the wonder and awe of seeing a beautiful sunset. And, I know that I can easily fall into the trap of living vicariously from the comfort of my home, instead of going out and seeking God's adventure for me.

Social media can be a great tool for staying connected, but it can also be isolation and shallowness in the guise of real relationship. So if you are thinking about signing up for a new app (or removing an old one), ask yourself these questions:

- Does this help me better connect with my friends, acquaintances, and family members on a deeper level, or will it be the extent of my relationship with that person?

- Will this only contribute to the "white noise"?

- Do I feel grumpy, lethargic, or discontent after seeing or reading something on social media?

- Does this help me worship God, or does it desensitize me to His wonder and beauty?

- Does this draw my attention to the world, or cause me to miss out on what is around me?

- Am I relying on safety and comfort more than God?

Living in Truth

"Just do it."

Nike's well-known slogan has been around since 1988. I still remember my fifth-grade classmates talking about it at lunch because it was the hot topic of the time. And so my generation grew up with these words in its ear. No fear, no hesitation, no regrets… live life to the fullest.

But how true is that, really? People are all about catchy slogans these days– ways to summarize a philosophy in a few words– but are these words to live by?

I know that my young self didn't think twice about the truth behind the words I heard on television and on the radio. I heard them day in and day out and accepted them blindly. They sounded like good advice, and all things considered, not a bad way to live life.

Now as an adult, I see how many of the simple-sounding statements are contrary to God's Truth. And so, as a parent, I teach my children to think about the words before accepting them.

One example comes from the movie Zootopia. When the country rabbit first reaches the city, a song is playing in the background.

"Oh oh oh oh oh- try everything! Oh oh oh oh oh- try everything!"

Of course, in the movie, the upbeat song is serving as the background to a scene in which the main character is experiencing many new and exciting things. But out of context (because memorable hit songs are always taken out of context), what are the words saying? Try everything?

When my children heard this, they started questioning it.

"Try everything? Like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute? Or juggling chain saws? Or drinking poison?"

They erupted in laughter as they came up with more and more ridiculous scenarios, but I knew that they understood– trying everything is not always a good idea. There are times when a person should use caution, or even say an outright "No!" And I was encouraged by the fact that my children had learned to stop and think about the words rather than mindlessly repeating them just because they are accompanied by a musical hook and danceable beat.

Read through these following popular sayings and song lyrics and check yourself. How many of these do you agree with? What does God's Word say about them? And lastly, how can you talk to your children about them?

"All you need is love."

"You deserve it."

"If you believe it, you can achieve it."

"Let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore,
Let it go, let it go, turn away and slam the door."

"The more you buy, the more you save."

"Be true to yourself."

"What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."

Pain, Growth, and Hope

My baby is learning to crawl. 

And that's putting it simply. He's trying to crawl, stand, walk, climb– whatever he can to catch up with his siblings.

My main job right now is to make sure he doesn't hurt himself… too much.

Because, though I hate to say it, part of growing involves pain. If the baby's legs are to grow stronger, he will need to stand, and fall, and get back up again. He will have days and months of frustration. Then, eventually, he will figure out how to walk, but only after many tries, and many tears.

As I watch him go through this process, I sympathize. I am going through my own period of frustration and growth. Though I am not dealing with any major physical ailments, I feel the heavy burden and weariness from learning to care for seven children while juggling work, ministry, marriage, and my personal pursuits. I long for a time when "normal" equals to quiet, ease and simplicity, when I don't feel stretched to the point of breaking, when I  no longer feel so uncertain of myself. There are days when I want to crawl under my blankets and ignore the demands. There are days when I feel that I am hopelessly and forever yelling at my children over insignificant things. There are days when I feel lonely. Some days my body aches, but mostly, it's my heart that hurts.

But in order to grow, sometimes we must go through pain. Paul writes in his letter to the Roman church,

Therefore, since we have been justified, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

Pain does have a purpose. I don't mean to sound whiny (I would hardly call this "suffering" that I am going through), but I do know that God does mean to refine me (like gold) and prune me (like a tree). And some of you are going through great physical, emotional, or spiritual pain right now. Hold onto the "hope [that] does not put us to shame", and be strong and courageous in the Lord.

My friend is fighting cancer. His wife and six children are fighting it with him. The pain is at times unendurable. The days are long, and the nights even longer. We don't know when the end will come, but we know that God is the author of this story, and this is a story of Hope.

Chores and Meditation

Our dishwasher was broken. It didn't take long for the novelty of washing all dishes by hand to wear off. By the end of the week, I was grumbly and angry.

At that same time, my discipleship group was discussing scripture memorization and abiding in the Word. What keeps us from being in the Word? What keeps our minds from meditating on God's truths?

My answer, in short, was nothing.

When I have time to read the Bible, I choose to read something else or be on the computer. And when I have time to meditate (like when I am doing housework), I fill my mind with anxiety, worry, planning, or in many cases, grumbling. Oftentimes, I go to bed with the sudden realization that I had not communed with God all day.

I decided to make an action plan. If I have time to think about the Bible, then I just need a reminder. And what better prompt than the things I'm doing all day, everyday! While I'm cooking, the smells, colors and tastes of the food can remind me to "Taste and see that the Lord is good…" When I make the bed, I can recall that "This is the day the Lord has made…" I brainstormed a list of my daily chores and looked up verses (some in different translations) that relate to the actions through a key word or idea. Here is what I came up with:

Cooking- 
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! ~Psalm 34:8 (ESV)
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. ~2 Corinthians 2:15 (ESV)

Doing laundry- 
I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God, For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. ~Isaiah 61:10 (NIV)

Washing the dishes- 
Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. ~Isaiah 1:18b (ESV)

Making the bed- 
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (ESV)

Gardening- 
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ~John 15:5 (ESV)

Changing diapers- 
And said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ~Matt 18:3-5 (ESV)

Dressing- Colossians 3:12 (NIV)

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)

Then came the hard part– making it a habit. When I changed the baby's diaper, I reminded myself to think of the verse. When I folded the laundry, I reminded myself again.

After a few days, I wasn't as diligent anymore. But one day, as I was washing the dishes and grumbling again about how long it was taking for the technician to come and fix it, I caught myself. The words "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" came to mind and suddenly, my whole attitude changed! My shoulders relaxed. My grumbling was replaced by gratitude. I praised God for His love and sacrifice. A broken dishwasher became secondary, and my time doing the dishes became a time of worship.

I am now trying to be more mindful of my thoughts throughout the day, so that the day will come when everything I do draws me to God's Word. Some day I may write down these verses and post them around the house so that I can memorize them. And there are certainly many more verses that I can look up! But for now, remembering a few key words is enough to turn my thoughts back to meditating on God and His Word, even if I am "just" doing the dishes!

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~I Thessalonians 5:16-18