Why I 110% LOVE Social Media
1. OPPORTUNITIES ARE ALL AROUND US
Social media is full of tips on how to get the perfect booty, what a perfect relationship "looks" like and is full of people portraying perfect lives. Young people are being pulled in so many directions as to how they should live their lives. The reason I blog, post heaps on snapchat, use Instagram and all the over social media channels a lot is because I want to be an encouragement to younger people. To reminded them that it's ok to be different, to embrace who God has made them to be and to ultimately share the good news of Jesus with them.
I see so much potential with social media. Instead of cyber bullying or trying to create a fake life on social media, we can create a space of inspiration and encouragement. Now we must exercise caution with social media as some bad things do happen on it. If you are a young teenager keep an honest conversation flowing with your parents. Be wise about the decisions you make with social media. There's no need to share every intimate moment of your life on it. Be smart about your privacy settings and always be careful. There's a lot of good that comes from social media we just need to be smart about how we handle it.
Let's control social media and not let it control us. Create a space where people feel built up rather than teared down. Be a story teller on social media of the grace of God in your life.
If we can see social media as an opportunity and platform to have a positive impact on another persons life, it could be a game changer!
2. OUR VALUE AND IDENTITY IS NOT FOUND IN SOCIAL MEDIA
I am a Christian and I whole hearted believe that my value and identity is found in Jesus Christ. I believe that he is fully man and fully God and paid the ultimate sacrifice of dying on the cross and rising from the dead three days later to give me eternal life. It is by the work that He did on the cross that we can find our identity and value. He paid the ULTIMATE price for us – death. He said I love you SO much that I am prepared to die for you! What a crazy thought.
His message is so scandalous. It doesn't matter how broken or messed up we are, His grace is for us. It is through this understanding of how much He loves us that it moves us into a position of finding our identity in Jesus and our value in him.
When our value and identity is in Jesus no longer do we need to look to social media as the dictator of that. We do not have to quit social media or think of it as a bad thing but actually look at is an opportunity. The apostle Paul wrote this “…I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 corinthians 9:22-23). Paul is making this statement saying I will do whatever it takes to win more people to Christ. By whatever means necessary to win people. I view social media as a way in which we can point people to Jesus.
3. SOCIAL MEDIA CAN REACH PEOPLE FAR AND WIDE
At the click of a few buttons we can have access to thousands upon thousands of people. This is the main reason I have created this blog, to point more people to Jesus. All throughout history we see people using the means they had to point people to Jesus. The apostle Paul when in jail had a pen and a candle to write letters to churches. John Wesley used a horse to travel the world preaching. William Wilberforce used his political position to abolish slavery. Nelson Mandela used his prison cell as a pulpit. Rosa Parks used a bus seat to stand up to for equality. Martin Luther used a church door to spark a reformation.
Each generation throughout church history capitalised on the “means” they had to point people to Jesus and stand up for what they believe in.
Social media when used positively can have a profound impact on the community. I don’t think we have barely scratched the surface for the potential we have with social media for good.
So how can we use social media better?
- Celebrate the good things that are happening in your life. There is enough negativity on social media. If a young person gets baptised at church I can tell you know it's going all over my social media because that shows what is important to me.
- Share parts of your normal life. Guys in my youth ministry love when I share on snapchat my late night snack runs for Tayla. It's light hearted but they say it's something they want to one day do for their wives.
- Tell your story. I love story telling and that's ultimately what I'm trying to do through all these means of communication, is tell a story of God's grace.