Let’s be honest. How much time do we spend reviewing who has liked or retweeted our posts? Are those numbers just a thermometer of our connectivity—or have we allowed them to occasionally feed our pride or distort our self-worth? Getting lots of likes and retweets helps one feel great, but the absence of those affirmations can cause the feeling of rejection to be even greater. Social media sites draw people in, making them feel connected, but it keeps many coming back in a compulsive way because human nature values being liked.
While social media has many benefits, we need to guard our own hearts and guide our children as they navigate social media and deal with the effects it can have on their lives. Some users struggle to keep profiles that are real and not a “pretend, shined up” version of who they are. Others have reported struggling with guilt, depression, and loneliness because of unwisely comparing their circumstances to those of so many others (2 Corinthians 10:12).
When our children ask the questions, “Who am I?” and “What is my purpose in life?,” we have to train them to find that answer biblically rather than allow them to gather it singularly from the online community. Our life’s satisfaction is found in Christ alone. Anytime we try to substitute the source, we set ourselves up for disappointment. Let’s not let the glare from our tablets blind us to the truth found in God’s Word and the mission He has for us.