Topic: Is Social Media a Helpful Tool or a Crutch? [RICK WARREN Devotional 9 OCTOBER 2020]

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Is Social Media a Helpful Tool or a Crutch?

“Don’t pay attention to everything people say.”

Ecclesiastes 7:21 (GNT)What makes social media so addictive? Why do you have to go back and check a picture 50 times after you post? Why are you constantly checking your phone?

Everybody wants the approval of others. People desperately need to be liked! When you hear the “ding” of a notification, dopamine is released in your brain, and it’s extremely satisfying. Every “ding” feeds your need for approval, and it feels like you can’t get enough.

But the Bible says, “Dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith” (James 2:1 The Message).

The truth is that public opinion doesn’t have anything to do with your faith. So don’t let public opinion decide what you believe, feel, or do. It will never lead you in the direction of Jesus Christ.

The Bible also says in Ecclesiastes 7:21, “Don’t pay attention to everything people say” (GNT).

Even when you make the wisest, happiest, most encouraging social media post, some people still will post comments that will not meet your expectations or may just be downright mean. If you make the post because you need a certain number of likes to feel better about yourself, then you are going to be disappointed.

When you’re not living for the approval of others, though, what one person says on social media is not going to make or break you. Everyone wants the approval of others. But living for the approval of One will help you use social media as a useful tool and not a crutch.

What is your motivation when you post on social media?
How does the amount of time you spend on your phone reflect whose approval you’re living for?
In what ways have you let public opinion dictate what you believe or how you act?