I often get asked why I’m not very active on social media. Maybe I’ll pop in every once in a while to share a quick devotional thought or an update on what’s happening at the church. But for the most part, I steer clear of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. You won’t find a ton of posts on my profiles.
It’s not like I don’t want to use social media. I see that it has the power to connect people like never before. And I know that some even use it to get their message out there to the world. But the more I scroll through my feeds, the more and more I become frustrated with the way social media is being used.
Really, it comes down to one simple question: Why are you posting what you post? We say that we use Facebook to connect with friends and family across the world. But is that what we’re really doing? Or are we using it for something much less sincere? Maybe even something that’s detrimental to our relational and emotional health?
In the age of selfies and livestreaming, I’m concerned that we’re not as interested in sharing our lives as we are in having people pay attention to us. It’s sort of a fine line at first, but over time, it can overtake us and cause some very harmful outcomes.
It’s the difference between, “Here’s something significant in my life I want to include you in,” and, “Look at me! Look at what I have! Look at what I’ve accomplished! My life is awesome!” Now be honest: The last time you posted on online, was it to share something sincerely, or was it just to brag?
Social media pushes us to create a false, glorified version of our lives and only share the parts we want other people to see. But that isn’t real. That isn’t sharing your life. It’s being fake, and it damages the way we see ourselves and our lives.
Because sometimes, we have bad days. Not every moment is a “highlight.” Not every meal is photo-worthy. Not every thought belongs in a tweet. And not every moment we share with those we love needs to be captured and broadcast to the world.
I’m all for sharing our lives, but only if that sharing is healthy. Only if it’s real. And only if it’s done for the right reasons. Not for likes or comments of affirmation, but for true, human connection. I’d like to see more of that on social media these days. Wouldn’t you?
Other people are starting to have the same concerns I have. Instagram is running a test where they don’t show like counts under some people’s photos anymore. That’s great! We don’t need a number to tell us our lives are worthwhile. We have to know that on our own. We have to believe that our lives, both the high parts and the low parts, are important, and we have to be real with those we love.
Maybe I should be on social media more. I’m still trying to figure out the best way to share my life without falling into the traps I’ve been talking about. It’s so easy for any of us to do. But I believe that if we work together, we can figure out how to connect online in a healthy manner. And when we do, we’re taking a big step towards emotional and relational fitness! How cool is that?
I’d like to end this week’s blog post with a couple of questions: Is your use of social media healthy, or is it pushing you to be fake? How can you change up your social media habits to make yourself more fit going forward?
I’d love to hear your thoughts as we think this through together. And of course, I’m always here if you have any questions for me.
Until next week, to your fitness!