One of the things I love about my job is that I spend most of my day talking to teenagers. Sometimes those conversations are scheduled, sometimes they’re spontaneous, and they’re almost always enlightening. I’m not a counselor, so I’m not trying to dig into anyone’s life or solve their problems—I’m really just there to listen and “mama” and pray—but I’m consistently surprised by how much information someone can pack into a fifteen-minute, impromptu chat.
There are, of course, a few topics that come up over and over. College. Stress. Friendships. Clothes. Dating. Drama. And it seems like whenever that last topic comes up, another topic quickly follows: social media.
OH, Y’ALL. Social media. As a general rule I really do enjoy it so much, but sometimes, when I see how it affects people I care about, I sort of want to set it on fire.
I know. It’s kind of a strong reaction. I’m working on that.
Last week I was thinking about some of the ongoing challenges when it comes to watching teenagers—teenage girls, in particular—navigate the ever-growing social media landscape, and I narrowed my primary concerns down to three. I’m going to keep the explanations short because I had an even bigger epiphany after these three thoughts came to mind.
- People sometimes use it as a weapon. Some people use social media to “rally the troops” against someone who’s at the center of drama. Or they leave sarcastic comments and then try to play off what they’ve said as “just a joke.” In other words, people get super childish, but what they forget is that their immaturity can be super hurtful.
- People often see what’s posted and feel left out. I totally get that everybody can’t be included in every activity. But so many times people will use social media to show what their “friend group” is doing, and when someone hasn’t been invited to participate—or when someone has been lied to about the fact that “nothing is going on tonight”—those pictures can sting.
- People can feel pressure to compromise who they are in Christ. Social media makes people braver than they’d be in real life. People type things they wouldn’t normally say, use language they wouldn’t normally use, and share pictures they wouldn’t necessarily send to their grandmother. All of these things can result in regret, drama, shame, or some combination of the three.
And here’s my big epiphany:
Social media is not a requirement in your life.
It is not one of your core courses. It is not a necessary component of fulfilling, rewarding relationships. IT IS OPTIONAL. So if you’ve hurt people with it, or if you’ve been hurt by it, or if you’ve been unwise with your use of it, remember this: you can delete the apps from your phone. You can take a break. You can remove yourself from that particular conversation.
You just might hear the Lord more loudly—and more clearly—than ever.
1. Are you active on social media? Do you follow it dutifully? Just glance at it every once in a while? Not plugged in at all? Has that been a conscious decision or just a by-product of your personality?
2. If your phone were to suddenly disappear, would it change your life at all? Would you miss it?
3. Have you ever fasted from social media? Ever thought about it?
4. Would your friendships be affected if you were to take a break from social media? Explain.
Today’s Prayer