For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Romans 12: 3 NKJV
I've been amazed lately at the dust up caused by the bans of some top conservatives from certain social media platforms. Now, were it me I don't think that I would be too outraged as I know the person I am inside. However, I believe that this goes beyond simple denial of thoughts and speech. For what we are witnessing now is a generation (s) whose sole social apparatus revolves around their electronic devices. Believe me, I've known this for awhile. I see the panic whenever a youngster loses their newest I Phone or somehow forgets their password. You'd think that the entire world had ended. Now, I have joined the millions who gather on Facebook as well. There are times I post my blog page there. Yet I still have not delved into the Twitter and Instagram world of the internet. I guess I'm just too old school that way. Sometimes I wonder, how did we even get to this place? How did millions of Americans come to the realization that the opinions of so many people who have never met them matter? I have a co worker whose daughter was somehow deemed not too popular at school and therefore her Facebook page was at times filled with insults. Again, how did we get here? I come from a time where we went out into the world to meet people. I remember people who gathered at bus stops and checkout lanes would open up in conversation. Not so much anymore. With the advent of the coronavirus as a national tragedy, more and more people are turning to the internet for their social needs. This is wrong in so many ways. Suddenly we're beset with millions of people online screaming LOOK AT ME! Like I said, maybe I'm just too old school.
So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; "and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. "But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
Luke 14: 7 - 11 NKJV
The other day while at the gym I was surprised to have someone say that they had noticed me coming in quite often and complimented my resolve. Let me tell you, I value conversations like this more than a like on Facebook. This is genuine, one on one communication that I feel we are slowly losing in this country. Yes, I know that there are virus restrictions, I get it. Yet this shift to a digitized social interaction has been coming for some time now. Will we finally come to a place where all human social interaction is done over a computer screen? I fear that day. Even now, in the midst of nationwide lockdowns, we are hearing stories of the increase in suicide, domestic violence and depression among our population. The alarm bells are ringing. Can there be any doubt that people are longing to return once again to conversation and interaction? Our weekly men's group has now been relegated to some sorry video conference platform. Where we used to meet every week to catch up with one another, is now simply a video discussion with barely little interaction. Yeah, that sucks. Our church services have also been forced to go the online video service route as well. Which, in my opinion, will lead to a decline in congregation sizes and a rise in more people in need of the Lord. Indeed, there are plenty of opportunities out there to share the gospel of Christ digitally. Yet somehow I doubt that this is what Jesus had in mind.
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
Galatians 1: 10 NKJV
~Scott~
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