12. Resolved, if I take delight in something as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.
Literally five minutes before I checked out the "resolution" for this week, David read to me an article in the Guardian called "Facebook's 'dark side': study finds link to socially aggressive narcissism". I often wonder what social networking is doing to society. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE facebook, twitter and the world of blogging... I think they are great tools that can be used really well and effectively... but what is our motivation in posting about ourselves all the time?
When I really think about it, I sometimes wonder what the point of facebook "status" is... does the world really want to know what I'm thinking/feeling/doing? Does it need to know the private details of my life? At times, could what I write be taken the wrong way? Or taken out of context? Or simply insensitive to someone? WHY do I feel the need to write about myself... to put myself on the public stage? Social media networking gives us the feeling of celebrity culture... my photos are pasted across the web for all the world to see... people can follow my every move. It feeds our self-obsessed nature wonderfully...
Facebook, Twitter and blogging have wonderful advantages... I am able to share photos of Ava with family in Norway and friends in Austria, I have been able to get back in touch with primary school friends, I can, hopefully, use this medium to encourage others and point to Jesus. Don't mishear me... I think modern technology has opened HUGE doors.
However, I know for myself, I need to keep my motivations in check. Why am I blogging about this? Is it because I want to make my very mundane, normal life look perfect? Is it because I want people to think I'm some kind of superwoman mother/housewife (which I hasten to add, I'm not!!!) Because if that's the case, then I am gratifying my vanity and pride and need to, as Edwards puts it, "throw it by".
Keeping this blog is something I am constantly checking my motives on. They are not perfect... I don't think I've done very many truly, completely selfless things in my life (if any!) and keeping this blog is no exception. I am utterly susceptible to pride and vanity and I have to constantly watch my motives. But... I want this to be a place where God is glorified, and I see myself for what I am...
...a sinner saved by grace.
When I really think about it, I sometimes wonder what the point of facebook "status" is... does the world really want to know what I'm thinking/feeling/doing? Does it need to know the private details of my life? At times, could what I write be taken the wrong way? Or taken out of context? Or simply insensitive to someone? WHY do I feel the need to write about myself... to put myself on the public stage? Social media networking gives us the feeling of celebrity culture... my photos are pasted across the web for all the world to see... people can follow my every move. It feeds our self-obsessed nature wonderfully...
Facebook, Twitter and blogging have wonderful advantages... I am able to share photos of Ava with family in Norway and friends in Austria, I have been able to get back in touch with primary school friends, I can, hopefully, use this medium to encourage others and point to Jesus. Don't mishear me... I think modern technology has opened HUGE doors.
However, I know for myself, I need to keep my motivations in check. Why am I blogging about this? Is it because I want to make my very mundane, normal life look perfect? Is it because I want people to think I'm some kind of superwoman mother/housewife (which I hasten to add, I'm not!!!) Because if that's the case, then I am gratifying my vanity and pride and need to, as Edwards puts it, "throw it by".
Keeping this blog is something I am constantly checking my motives on. They are not perfect... I don't think I've done very many truly, completely selfless things in my life (if any!) and keeping this blog is no exception. I am utterly susceptible to pride and vanity and I have to constantly watch my motives. But... I want this to be a place where God is glorified, and I see myself for what I am...
...a sinner saved by grace.
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