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The internet has surely changed all of our lives. This is true in both positive and negative ways. We have more information and entertainment at our finger tips than ever before.
We are able to leave our thoughts, opinions, and reviews in various places for anyone to read.
But is this necessarily a good thing? I am not so sure.
I have begun to wonder if social media has skewed the way we think more than we realize. Has it become the way we judge ourselves, meaning how well or poorly we are doing at life?
Are we judging our families, our children, our careers, our homes, and our relationships through the lens of the perfection viewed? Are we losing our ability to be content, and to allow space for imperfection in our lives?
It was this verse which prompted these thoughts and questions recently:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”
(1 Corinthians 13:4-5, NIV)
“It keeps no record of wrongs.”
And that includes the wrongs we each have done in our lives.
Each of us have made our fair share of mistakes – in our relationships, in our jobs, in personal choices, and in our parenting. None of us will get every aspect of our lives done perfectly all the time.
The internet and social media is not to become a report card of how well we are doing in life.
May we grow in patience with ourselves as well as others. May we give ourselves some grace and mercy when we feel like we have fallen short. The Lord offers His grace and mercy to us constantly, covering our wrongs as we come before Him.
It is often through our mistakes and imperfections that we grow. We learn where to make adjustments. We begin to navigate our way relying on God to lead us. May we come to embrace that we are imperfectly perfect.
Let’s hold onto our ability to appreciate imperfection,
to learn and grow through our imperfections,
and thus, discover joy in the midst of our imperfections.
Reflection:
Do you find yourself judging yourself through the lens of social media?
What guidelines can you set in place so that you offer yourself grace
and mercy in the midst of imperfection?
One of the complaints I hear about social media is that to many viewers, others social media provides a "perfect" life - and some complain a "perfectly untrue" life. It has an ability to show a "have" life to someone in a "have not" season - and it makes them feel their "have not" season more keenly. Before there was social media, I remember growing up in a "have not" season, inspired by those who had security, those who had two-parent families -- and it inspired me to dream of a life like that.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the grace and mercy of our God, He blessed you with a beautiful family!
DeleteSocial media doesn't really tempt me to compare and despair of my imperfections--I guess I don't have many friends who portray their lives as perfect. But I do struggle with feeling I should be beyond certain sins after so many decades of walking with the Lord. Yet, if even the apostle Paul said he struggled with doing what he shouldn't and not doing what he should, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I do, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm so thankful God knows what we're made of and is full of mercy. I like what you brought out about our imperfections being a learning and growing tool.
Barbara, I'm so glad you shared. We can expect more of ourselves than we do of others. I am so grateful the Lord is patient with us, helping us to grow in Him more and more.
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