With the news from Wall Street
that Facebook is going public, we can be confident the social media
giant aims to stay around for a while. And why shouldn't it? With more
than 845,000,000 monthly users, the company has become deeply ingrained
the public's psyche. Whether your preference is Facebook or Twitter or
one of the hundreds of other services, social networking is firmly
rooted as the new way to "do community." The ability to connect or
reconnect with these networks offers innumerable benefits and privileges
we simply did not have before. We are, however, becoming increasingly
aware of the limitations of virtual community and the problems
associated with our being so connected.
The Drain
Talk with enough folks who regularly use Facebook or Twitter and
you'll soon recognize a pattern. Mental drain accompanies comparing your
life with all of your friends and acquaintances. Recently, Christian
hip-hop artist Shai Linne tweeted he had quit following another
Christian hip-hop artist on Twitter. The reason was not a doctrinal
disagreement or failed friendship. Linne quit following this other
artist---whom he greatly respects and admires---because he had noticed a
sense of envy creep up after reading the tweets confirming the other's
success. Linne later explained in a video where the issue was discussed in detail, that he took this practical step to guard his heart.
An "out of sight, out of mind" approach worked for Linne. Could that
work for you? Are we as quick to act, surgically removing sin or the
temptation of sin associated with our use of social media? Furthermore,
if we as adults are struggling with the sin of jealousy, envy, or
covetousness, what is the use of social media doing to our kids? Continue at Jason Allen
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