A few Mondays ago we took the evening to consider social media, and four major concerns a Christian should have when they consider if and how to use it. Soon after I posted the notes, a friend who is serving the Lord overseas sent me this reaction:
I just read the blog about social media and it hit on a few things I have struggled with.
I loved my life without social media.
But I was encouraged to open accounts in order to share about what I am doing here on platforms where people will actually read. So I opened accounts a little over a year ago, and I was excited to get to keep up with what my friends and family are doing and what is going on in their lives, because the truth is not many people take the time to communicate to me personally.
But since opening accounts, I struggle with a lot of what people post. And it usually makes me discontent with where I live.
I don’t have access to most of the food that people post pictures of, but their pictures make me want to eat it. I can’t hang out with my friends, but I see them all hanging out and having fun and becoming seemingly closer with each other and moving on with their lives without me, and it makes me wish I was there. It’s kind of like I am showing myself what I gave up, all over again, everyday, and it makes it a whole lot harder.
I think missionaries fifty years ago had it a lot easier in some ways. They said goodbye and wrote letters, instead of having a constant window into what their loved ones are doing everyday, without being able to be part of it, or even invited to be part of it in anyway.
Social Media can be a great tool for the Kingdom, but I am not sure if it is worth the struggles it brings.
Agreed, my friend. Agreed.
Friends and young adults–shouldn’t we consider these things?