It has become such a huge part of my daily life that it's hard for me to even think far back enough to a time when I didn't use the internet. Of course, you can't forget the dial-up days. Anyone who has ever used dial-up will have the familiar sound ingrained in his mind throughout all eternity. Even now I'm trying to think of how to type out or even make the sound with my mouth. I can't do it. Imagine trying to describe it to your grandchildren . . . without sounding like a dying rooster. Impossible.
My point is: I'm aghast (I love that word) at how much I waste--yes, waste--on the internet, and more specifically, social media.
This begs the question, why?
Why Do We Waste Time On Social Media?
Pride. Pride says 'I am so great that I want the whole world wide web to know it.' So whether it's my clever statuses, pictures I feel are attractive, or things that make my life look awesome, I'm striving toward one goal: self-worship. We want to put our best foot, face, and whatever else forward, whether we have to lie about our lives or photoshop our faces to do so.
Before you post, ask yourself why. And more importantly, Does this glorify my Heavenly Father? Is my life truly consumed by Him--even my social media?
What If There Was No Internet?
It just makes me wonder how much I could actually accomplish if it were never invented.
I'm tempted to glorify the past. I envision the Good Old Days: those sweet, simple times long ago when everyone was well-behaved, worked hard, completed all that they intended to do, and even had enough time leftover to leisurely rock back-and-forth on the front porch rocking chair with a good book in hand while they gingerly sipped on their sweet tea. Oh, and as they lived and moved, there was an ethereal golden glow over everything and everyone.
But life wasn't like that. Men, women, and children still found ways to waste time. They still found ways to feed the monster Pride that dwells in every heart.
I'm writing this for you, dear reader, so that you would not excuse yourself from sin simply because you live in highly-technolgically advanced world, as if your generation were an exception.
We have no excuse. Although sin may look outwardly a bit different than it did 50, 100, 200+ years ago, it is still at its very core sin. And yes, even time-wasting is a sin.
Does This Mean That I Have To Delete My Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, etc.?
I am not commanding you to delete every social media account you have right this very minute.
I am asking you to consider how much time you spend on each and every social media account you have.
I am asking you to be careful that you, as a Christian, are putting off the aroma of Christ both on and off the internet.
I am asking that you would beg God to be captivated--wholly and completely caught up with Himself.
Christian, strive to be true to the character of Him whose name you claim -- Christ's.
"Look to Jesus, believers, and that will keep you true to Him!" - Horatius Bonar
