I am on a rescue mission. We all should be.
Our country, world, has faced many wars over the years.
Today, it’s for our soul. For our future. And I can choose whether I am a part of the rescuing or if I drown right from my keyboard.
Actually, I don’t even need a full keyboard. I just need a smartphone and a finger to scroll and hit “like.”
If you haven’t watched “The Social Dilemma” on Netflix, it’s your first point of education. This column is made for devotions. And this may seem a strange place to give us this call to arms. But it’s here in the space of God’s Word and truth and devotion that it may be most appropriate to look at what’s happening on social media and media in general.
The world will always be the world. The enemy, active and pursuing has been strategically after us humans since the garden of Eden. That one piece of fruit had nothing to do with nutrition, and everything to do with distracting humanity from the truth of God and His love and His ways.
Social media, when used as most of us do, is no different.
There is a purposeful pressing, driving, and leading happening on the other side of the screen. When you watch the Netflix special, it’s unsettling to realize how much the programs we use know about us, where we are, what we like, what we do and how we do it — for the purpose of doing more than knowing us. It’s done for the purpose of steering us in a certain direction.
Does this sound familiar? This is what he enemy does. He learns us, not to know us. But, to drive us.
There isn’t a problem that is facing us today, or that will ever face us tomorrow that the Word doesn’t well address. The Bible is more alive than any other document, algorithm or AI on this planet.
We find our answer in Philippians 4:8:
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
This is not a call to ignore the pain and suffering of those in need. It’s not about pretending everything is fine. But, it is about diligently and consistency focusing on not just what is lovely. But, what is true.
Just as it’s pointless to fix my hair perfectly and then spray it with Pam cooking spray. To read His word and then fill our minds with garbage, creates a kind of conflict.
Today, I’m asking God: what should my habits look like? Last week before watching the special, I felt led to delete my Facebook app from my phone. My Bible app was next to it and slid right into the old Facebook spot.
The number of times I clicked on it without thinking and found a verse instead of my feed — convicting.
Today, I’m asking God: what does my participation in social media look like? It’s a prayer. One I know He will answer. I challenge you to do the same.
Amanda Elliott is a grateful believer in Jesus Christ, wife, mom, business owner and Benton resident. She believes we are each “built to battle” by a perfect creator who made us with a capacity for victory, a handbook for success (the Bible) and a spirit who empowers us to live in peace and joy. Follow Amanda Elliott’s “Built to Battle” column at www.mysaline.com/amanda.
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