As a member of a generation that has always had technology at our fingertips, it is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of the internet and all the experiences it has to offer. In recent years, social media sites like Facebook and Instagram have captured the attention of a global audience. I remember what a big deal it felt like when I turned thirteen, and my parents finally allowed me the pleasure of creating my own Facebook profile. How else would I connect with and get to know my multitudes of friends, right?
Recently, many have argued that with the popularity of social media in our culture, the self-esteem of today’s young people has dropped, along with the rise of the comparison trap. These points are very valid and many of us have personally seen the negative effects of social media on people too caught up in the hype of how they are holding up against others. However, I would argue that the social media existing and what people post on it is not the problem. Rather, it is what exactly the individual is grounded in when they choose social media as their platform.
This is the very reason we see the same social media sites that are used to insult others and make comparisons, used as a platform for messages of good intention and social justice. How an individual uses social media and the level they let certain posts affect them depends on where they have laid their foundation. As Christians, we are told by Paul in Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” This changes the mindset we take on when viewing the world we live in, including the social media. So despite the temptation, when I look at a post that would make me want to compare myself to someone, I know that I am called to a higher standard. Instead of feeling like I don’t measure up, or that I am better than someone else, I must choose to appreciate the gifts that that individual has been given by God and recognize their important role in God’s creation. Genesis 1:27 restates this to us with a simple statement. “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.”
If this doesn’t call us to respect one another and what we all bring to the table, than I don’t know what does. If we believe that our faith is not circumstantial, but enduring, our viewpoint on this must stay the same with every platform.
Reagan Studies Writing 