The Decline of Social Media

Social media frustrates me. And no, it's not because I'm anti-social or anything like that, it's because it's just become loaded with junk.

I joined Facebook back in 2008 (maybe?) but only at the urging of my husband (at the time we were just friends; he had recently left for college) and a friend in Michigan. For the longest time I only had two Facebook friends (eep!) and I was completely content in simply using it as an outlet to keep up with two of my friends. Then in 2009 I went on a missions trip and made a lot more friends (not that I didn't have friends, just not social media using friends) who then added me on Facebook. And as the years passed, I was more than happy to get on every now again, chat with Brendan or some other friends, flip through pictures and read what others had going on in their lives.

But more recently social media has become cluttered with link bait and shared "funny" pictures (some, I admit, are; others...eh, not so much). With the addition of smart phones, people were on social media more and more leading to status updates of what they had for lunch and selfies just because they stepped out their front door, got in their car or went to the gym. These sites that used to be so enjoyable are now just a nuisance. Every time I look at Facebook I cringe. Is this really what society has reduced itself to?

We need to come alive again. We need to let the social media go and live our lives without feeling as though we need our faces attached to the screen of our iPhones. It's gotten to the point where "if you didn't post it, it didn't happen" and "things aren't official until they're Facebook official." 

Now I'm not saying that social media is bad. It does a lot of good. Since most of my friends and family are located back on the East Coast and I now live in Texas, social media has helped me keep up with their lives. But every good has bad as well. If you aren't careful with what you post and your privacy settings, your identity can easily be stolen. And there's another thing that can be stolen-hours upon hours of your time. This time could better be spent with your children, with your spouse, with your friends, studying, working out, going on dates, or riding down a trail on horseback. But all of this is so much less enjoyed if you're instead scrolling through your Twitter feed.

If you leave with anything after reading this, leave with these two things:

1) De-clutter your social media. Think before your post. Try comparing it against Phillipians 4:8-Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (KJV). 

2) Put it down and look up. Life goes on around you as you walk with your head down. You miss so many wonderful things that way. If you haven't see the video "Look Up" yet, I encourage you to find it and watch it. It has such a great message for everyone consumed by social media. Don't let the nonsocial-ness of social media take away the great life God has planned for you. Look up.