God created us each as unique, one-of-a-kind individuals — masterpieces — each with our own good purposes He has beautifully orchestrated. He has a great plan for you and a great plan for me. We cannot even imagine all the good He has prepared. Yet in this age of social media, it is clear that the school yard comparisons of sneaker brands and athletic skill has escalated into a cut throat machine that is often used for bad rather than good. We are bombarded with too many images to count in a day, showing us who has more money, more intellect, more power, nicer teeth, better hair, more well-behaved children, etc. We may learn how to fix our washing machine from a YouTube video or how to redecorate our living room from Pinterest, but for too many people, social media has become more of a pollution to life. What once was great for connecting with old friends and with family is now causing people to not sleep. We don’t want to miss anything. We don’t want to lose out. We have to know what everyone is doing. We keep taking in more images and more hashtags.
What we take in — what we think about — it forms us. This is why we read in Philippians 4:8 to focus on things that are good and uplifting and true and worthy of praise. We have to watch our focus. We have to be careful with what we are consuming, not only with our mouths, but also with our eyes and ears. We were never meant to take in so much information at one time. We certainly were not meant to allow all of these social media outlets to rewire our hearts and minds. Even so, we have seen over the years that this has happened. What we thought was created to bring us closer has further divided us. What we thought could be used for good, has most definitely been used for a lot of bad. We have consumed an abundance of lies and half truths. Perhaps you have even accepted rhetoric that tears down instead of words that bring honor. What once was not acceptable has now become second nature.
I’m not anti-social media. You’ll see I am connected on many platforms. Social media can be good and beneficial. Like anything good, it can be used for bad. As we meditate on today’s verse, let us be encouraged to “stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around.” Remember that we are not meant to live life for likes or define ourselves by a hashtag. Our worldview should not come from Facebook or Twitter, but rather be rooted in God’s Word. Influencers should not have the power to dictate our path. Our Influencer is the Spirit of God. He dwells within those who believe in Christ Jesus. He teaches, He guides, He corrects, He empowers — and by following Him above all the others you “like” and “follow,” you will be able to surely see all the good God has prepared. Through the Holy Spirit, you will be able to discern God’s will. Your life will be “a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in His eyes.” Be intentional. Stop imitating. Set boundaries in life, especially with social media. Spend more time scrolling through the Word than scrolling through Facebook. You will find that the more time you spend with your Father, the more you will see what is true and good and lovely. You will be less stressed from the chaos of social media and more equipped to live all that He has been preparing for you. Oh what a beautiful life!
“Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in His eyes.” – Romans 12:2 [TPT]
Tania Gutekunst 