Challenge the Status Quo
Let’s talk about Social Media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, whatever else the kids are using these days. It’s something that just kind of happened. We signed up for it yet never asked “why?”
I’m not saying they are all bad. I mean I have a Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Is it true that we just tend to conform to the cultural norm? Why not, it’s free!
Have you ever experienced FOMO (Fear of missing out)? I am a recovering FOMO addict. Been clean for a couple years. For someone who's struggles with comparing themselves to those around them (which, let’s be honest, we all struggle with jealousy and covetousness) Instagram and Facebook are the worst. They get on and see how happy everyone is, how great their vacation was, how much they love their new puppy or their camp job.
Social Media does a really good job at one thing: Showing the good parts of the human life. Rarely do you see someone post an Instagram picture and say “Feeling pretty upset today,” or “Got fired from my job today,” or “Here’s a pic of my trip to the dentist #LoveThisPlace.” We tend to only post happy things on social media.
And that’s why it can be harmful to people who struggle with identity. I work on a college campus that is pretty immersed in social media. You know what I hear almost every time I walk by a group of students on their phones, “My photo got this many likes…which filter should I use?…I liked that pic too…That’s fire.” What? I don’t even know what fire is, but I know I don’t want to be it. Why are we talking about this. Who cares?
Again, I’m not saying social media is only a bad thing. But as Christians we need to think through our social media use and not use it just because it’s there.
Be the kind of person who doesn’t just go with the flow. Do the wise thing, do what nobody else is doing to make the impact that no one else is making.
To conclude this short series of posts, I wanted to provide what may be the most impactful piece of advice ever given to me. Throughout college, I became close friends with our University President. He was my former pastor and someone I sought wise counsel from often. When I came to Dr. Horne with these "open doors" it was as if I was asking him to choose for me. I was asking him to tell me what God's plan was for my life. How he responded changed everything.
“You know David, God is going to reveal to you different doors throughout your life. Sometimes he’ll even reveal to you two, three, or maybe more. It’s at those points that you can look to God and know that he is fully with you no matter which door you choose. Why would he lead you someplace and leave you there because you didn’t ‘choose correctly?’ God let’s us choose. He gifted you with a unique set of talents and abilities that others don’t have so that you could glorify him. He presents his faithful servants with opportunities so that we can choose the one that we’ll find joy in; the one where we can find fullness in him. Obey God and seek to glorify him in all you do, and then just choose. He'll be with you."
That resonated with me. It still does. I'm at a time of transition now in life. I'm married and looking to attend seminary in the Fall of this year. There's a lot of time I could waste waiting for God to direct me to the exact path he has for me, one that doesn't exist, or I could make the best of the time I have in the present to glorify him.
Be relentlessly faithful, bloom where you are planted, take initiative and challenge the status quo. When you do these things, and you do them for the glory of God, you'll be trusting in and following his will.