Antisocial media.

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I’m not sure why social media isn’t called antisocial media.

Most everyone seems to agree that life is getting busier, crazier, and more frantic with each passing day. We’re bombarded by more information than we know how to process—news, ads, commercials, blogs, tweets, music, pics, and more ads. Crazier still is that we have more devices, programs, and apps than ever before to make life easier. 

 And unquestionably these new innovations help make our lives better. We can text with close friends halfway around the world and let them know we’re praying for them. Want to share pictures of our daughter’s birthday party with relatives thousands of miles away? Do that. We can check our 401k, order a pizza, or book a hotel at the beach. And yet with all the upsides, these conveniences we “can’t live without” create many unintended problems. 

We love technology and all it offers. But we also hate it.

We hate our dependence on it and how it causes us to get out of balance with what matters most to us. It’s antisocial media.

Although many factors contribute to why we hate it, I’m convinced it’s mostly because social media makes everything all about us. We’re sucked into measuring our lives by who follows us and how many online friends we have. We want to believe we’re more than the total number of clicks on our last post, but we still check to see how many we have. 

Oddly enough, however, the more we focus on ourselves, the less satisfied we feel. And the more we’re consumed with the things of this earth, the more we feel empty on the inside. 

The reason is simple. We were created for more—way more. Earth isn’t our home.

We were not created to be liked but to show love. We were not created to draw attention to ourselves but to give glory to God. Collecting followers isn’t or goal, but it is to follow Christ. Antisocial media can hinder that. 

Social media and technology are great. But it’s time to be honest about our struggles. And to regain control of the amazing tools that technology provides us. 

It’s time to put technology back in its place. Let’s be done with antisocial media, at least the way we’ve tended to use it.

It’s time to love God with our whole hearts. 

In the pursuit of fulfillment in life, technology and social media allow you to capture every moment along the way. You’re not only on the fast track to success, but you get to show selfies at each lap along the way. Which only confirms how up-to-the-nano-second cool you are. 

So get the biggest data plan you can, and collect wi-fi passwords at every stop. Check in at all the cool places. Share every inspirational thought you have, and every joke. Snap lots of pics. Get video clips, too, of course. And never stop uploading the whole show to the Cloud as you go. 

Post everything online for the whole world to see. Pile up Likes and Friends and Followers until it’s all just one frenzied blur. Hustle until your real life exceeds your dreams. And finally, once you’ve reached the summit, I can guarantee you this one thing: your longing for more never stops. See what I mean by antisocial media? Like the latest technology, your achievements are outdated overnight. 

Why? How could that be possible? 

Because you were not created for earth. You were created for eternity. And there is nothing on this earth that can ever satisfy that spiritual longing you feel inside—even if you can collect it all. 

Nothing. 

I’ve heard people say, “God makes a Christ-shaped void inside every person.” I remember that saying annoying me. I remember not understanding what they were talking about. But then one day I learned for myself why they said it: because it is absolutely true. Nothing outside of a living relationship with Christ can ever fill the emptiness of that ache inside your heart. 

Your scavenger hunt for success will never be enough. Christ is what you’re searching for. He is your source. He is your strength. God is your sustainer. He is your joy. He is your contentment. Jesus is your all and all. He’s everything that matters. 

When Christ is all you have, you’ll finally realize that Christ is all you need. 

Christ. Is. All. You. Need. 

4 thoughts on “Antisocial media.

  1. For me technology has created more stress!
    Sometimes I want more and faster than it can give. What does that say about me?

  2. How is it that your blog always feel like you’ve just been the fly on the wall during one of my most recent conversations? Always spot-on! I have been purposefully avoiding “anti-social media” like the plague that it is. I definitely like the effects I get from a business standpoint, and the sweet memories of my children growing up that get tossed back at me now and then. But after that, I’m pretty much hightailing it out of there. It’s better that way…for me anyway. You know what I really miss? Being in a youth group in that little old Run-down house across from the church, my college years, filled with spontaneity and never knowing who I might meet at the next party or gathering or summer camp. I miss going through printed pictures with my friends that we got developed after a fun trip and sharing them with each other. Finding my way through Atlanta with a map….okay not that last one…but there was something somewhat glorious about figuring it out on our own…it was the accomplishment…Coming into independence, being explorers. Mission trips and choir tours, buses breaking down…hot chocolate after Christmas caroling, cause we really earned it, together.

  3. Thank you, Tony. I serve on worship teams at my church, and a tradition (at least I hope it becomes a tradition) we’ve have begun is to observe a “media fast” on Saturday. We are encouraged to truly Sabbath (used as a verb) and go for a walk, spend “media free” time (live-and-in-person) with friends and loved ones. I like to thing of these bracketed times as the opportunity to “be” rather than “do.” Kinda like a dress-rehearsal for eternity. 🙂

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