We live in a culture consumed with number of followers you have on Twitter, how many likes you get on Instagram, and how many snap streaks you have. I don't know about you, but I am absolutely fed up with it. Earlier this year I took a week and gave up all things social media related, other than for a few important exceptions. What that week taught me is that contrary to popular opinion we don't have to be obsessed with constantly checking our phones every five seconds to assure ourselves of our standing in society. Now, please don't take this as me saying that we need to get rid of social media all together, that's far from what I am saying. But social media once started in hopes to connect people to each other in an easier manner. We are they ones that have abused that. We are the only ones to blame for becoming addicted to perfecting captions and editing photos to assure we are getting the most likes possible.
Nearly three months ago, I was talking with a friend about social media and the purpose we want our social media accounts to have. Both of us were in agreement that if we didn't live in a technologically advanced culture that required us to be on social media for internships and extracurricular activities we probably wouldn't be on it. This conversation got me to thinking. How often is it that I find myself cringing at the incessant amount of negativity I see on my Twitter feed? Or how often do I see someone putting someone else down because of their beliefs or opinions? Honestly, I am fed up with all of it. Yes, we all have the freedom of speech, that's true, but I don't think we are doing that great a job of using that freedom in the way it should be.
That being said, I made the executive decision that I wanted to start using my social media for something bigger. Something bigger than myself, bigger than the petty arguments or insecurities that only social meidia seems to bring to this world. For a while I really struggled with what that meant, or even what that looked like. How could I possibly use something that seemed to be such a huge part of my life to represent something else that was a major part of my life, my faith. I continued to draw a blank until one day I figured it out; post a Bible verse a day. Now, I can't take full responsibility for this epiphany. If I'm completely honest I took some inspiration from Grayson Allen, yes you read that right, who regularly posts Bible verses on his own Instagram account. It's simple, it's easy, and it's effective. So from that moment on I made a point of trying to post a Bible verse just about every single day.
It's funny really because I started out doing it in hopes to bring some positivity to the never ending negativity that seems to infiltrate social media these days. What I learned along the way, though, is that it helped me to grow in my own faith and walk with God while also showing me that I may not be able to change the landscape of social media, but I can effect how those around me see it.
Now, that all being said this is not a piece to encourage just Christians to start doing something similar to that. Honestly, a Bible verse a day may not even be that effective really, but we need to each start doing something. We are the ones that are going to influence generations to come, so why not start now? Why not look past the negative comments, the hate, the rudeness and show this world that we can be kind and thoughtful to each other, No, we don't always have to agree with each other, but what if we stopped using a computer screen to belittle someone and started using it to encourage those around us? It's as simple as posting an inspirational quote, tweeting an appreciation to someone, or posting a Bible verse on your story.
We have got to start looking past the superficial labels of societal standing based on followers and likes and starting looking at the worth of every individual based on the fact that they are human, just as you are. Am I perfect? No. Do I have all the answers? Not by a long shot. But I have seen this simple act of changing how I view my own social media impact people around me. All it takes is a few people deciding to look past all the bullcrap and start a change. Maybe one day I'll be able look down my Facebook and Twitter feeds without cringing at the obscene rudeness and hatred that this generation holds. Now it's your turn, make the choice. You won't regret it.