And is there anything really wrong with that? I'm not sure and yet I think that the model that we put out there leads to a lot of wrong things. Hang with me for a second... Have you ever gotten ready to take a "selfie" only to end up taking 5 to 10 then adding in filters erasing this fixing that only to turn around and stare at the screen waiting for feed back scared that maybe this time you put the wrong one up. Your doubts come in, self-esteem issues perhaps, or maybe feeling dumb for even going there, or maybe you regret the fact you caved and gave into the newest thing, or those filters tho... Your mind starts to swirl and becomes a confused pile of mess. All for posting a picture of yourself up on Facebook/Instagram or well you pick the social media platform.
Is it really bad to take pictures of yourself? Nah I don't think so where I think we go wrong as a society is making it such a big deal to post the "perfect" picture to the world. But is that a real honest picture? Think about what you read on social media and you get 2 views the first is MY LIFE IS PERFECT look at my PERFECT house, PERFECT kids, PERFECT spouse, PERFECT everything. My NEW car, NEW house, NEW baby, NEW pet, NEW (fill in the next blank).
What it doesn't show is what that perfection cost you either personally or financially. I mean don't get me wrong when I bought my new car I shared that cause I worked hard for it. Then it turns out that now I have to work 2 jobs, move from my fancy apartment to a rental house that came with issues I don't even want to discuss. But did I post any of that on social media? Nope... why? Same as the selfie with all the filters that was picture 7... so that you would see the "perfect" life that I wish I had and yet I don't want to struggle in front of you. I want you to celebrate with me, tell me I'm pretty, I'm doing well, and that I've made it. If you actually saw the other stuff you wouldn't have been so quick to like the photo and tell me "Congrats" most of you would have lectured me, explained what was going to happen, asked if I was sure, was I ready. And you would have been right, (mind you I would have been angry, but you would have been right). Yet I went for it. I went for the praise and admiration over the sensible thing to do.
Because the other view of Social media are the ones that are always posting the negative consequences of life. The "Debbie Downers" of the internet pop up. You know the ones you have either muted them or ignore them, but they're the ones who are always "complaining" about how hard their lives are, what struggles they are going through, how tight money, how horrible the country is. And after awhile you start to realize that they're angry with their life's situation and you think, "I don't want anyone to mute me and block me because I feel the same way". Yet your life is more like theirs not PERFECT, not WONDERFUL, it only has glimpses of that PERFECT life that you always dreamed of and usually that dream comes at a steep price.
So back to the original question... is it worth it? Is it worth the front, the truth, the selfie number 10 and the only highlights on social media or is it worth being blocked to show others that life sucks. Or could there be a different way all together? (And no I'm not talking about a social media blackout although that would solve a great deal of problems)
What if we went back to our roots.
Look at Psalm 106: 13-14 for me
"But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for HIS counsel.... they gave into their cravings"
I don't know about any of you, but when I was studying the Bible this week that verse gripped me and hasn't let go. How many times in our social media driven lives have we sought counsel from others first, how many times have we sought approval from others first, how many times have we asked others to give us advice on what to do, buy, who to date, how to eat? How many times have we looked for praise from strangers first and only ran to HIM when it fails, or we don't hear what we need or desire?
How many times have we rushed into a relationship, a diet, a purchase without seeking HIS counsel only to then find ourselves stuck in a situation that SUCKS and then look up at HIM and shake our fist asking "WHY ME"
I don't want to be honest here and say that it's more times then I can count, but the LORD knows it has been. I am the first to seek other's opinions of what to do, where to go, what to buy, how to look, and then run to HIM when it falls apart wondering where did I go wrong this time...Wondering why isn't my life PERFECT like the dream, like so&so's social media page. Only to be reminded that maybe their life isn't perfect and when was the last time you truly talked with GOD? How can we expect a relationship with HIM where we get to know what HIS response will be if we only go to HIM when our lives are falling apart? When we are on selfie 15 and the car payment is 2 months behind. And then expect HIM to come up with a miracle that solves the problem immediately. When if we had sought his counsel and WAITED maybe just maybe HE would have presented another option with less filters.
