Yes.. I had to give this article a strong title because David a man after God’s own heart fell miserably in this area. If we desire to walk in a closer relationship with God, we definitely need to be careful in this area!
I am benefited a lot from social media yet the more I roam around on the terrace doing nothing with an idle mind like David, the more I fall into temptations that hurt my soul and disturb my mind and also breaks my fellowship with the Father. To be more precise, when I have real loving souls around me – My husband, my children, neighbours and those whom I meet daily – Why do I have to check on and waste my precious time gazing at the – activities of my friends and followers online. If they wish to inform me and request me about something – They WILL do it personally. Any urgent need will be followed by a call. I don’t have to take up my phone each and every time there is a notification sound by the wattsap app, anyways most of the wattsap forwards are useless and hardly benefits a man’s soul.
There was a season when I used to be so cluttered in my thoughts. It was the same time when I was spending quite a lot of time in Facebook. Even updates from friends was ok to an extent. The extra advertisement and videos were so tempting that I being a person who has a flare for social issues would end up with a couple of videos that would disturb me for days. An article which could be true or false can have a very deep impact on our thoughts life. We need to be careful.
For those of us who are married, we need to be so very cautious about what we watch. Any vulgar scene could leave a dirty scar on our minds and heart which otherwise should be occupied with the holiness of God our Father. Just because we are married, we do not have the license to watch movies with vulgar kissing scenes. David fell into sin by watching… watching something he shouldn’t have watched!! The day we had taken a vow before God – I will treat his body and mine as temples of the living God, we come face to face with God Who has heard our promise. And the promise is that I cannot look at things that I should not. I cannot play with my own body (masturbate) as my body belongs to my husband to enjoy and I cannot do/think anything unholy as my mind and heart is the temple of God. Trust me there are materials filled in the internet that could pollute the heart of this bride of Christ.
I was beginning to engage myself a lot in a Facebook for a season. Reading unnecessary news and articles. Watching a few short movies that weren’t very harmful yet the day the Lord liberated me.. I felt lot of lightness in my soul. I was able to meditate and cherish the Word of God even better. My mind was clutter free. I was singing songs of God’s glory even more. Not always is social media a big evil platform yet it could turn out to be like those little foxes that could destroy the garden that needs to be a holy ground for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Coming to social networking as well. It’s true that video calls is the most happening thing in this season of pandemic yet if I do not really have anything important to enquire or speak I would rather refrain from casually calling my parents, siblings or friends than have to call them and speak things that aren’t necessary at all. I had read this quote somewhere that we do not have to give all information to everyone. In the earlier days, I remember our parents would write letters once in a month to their parents or make a call and only matters that meant to be really important were discussed and that could be reason that relationship were more preserved and honoured in those earlier time. Today in the name of video calls we call our parents and speak and are tempted to speak things we shouldn’t disclose with other than our own spouse. We give out matters that aren’t necessary. A sibling speaks about another sibling. We see a new couch, a new curtain or a new toy in the other person’s home and speak about the price of the commodity etc etc and all these leads to a peek of unprofitable talks. And for those who have children, how long do these children concentrate in the conversation? 15 minutes ..say 20 minutes and then they are lost!! They are all over the place feeling left out while we sit and speak dragging on the conversation. At the end of our so called family talk time we feel low, discouraged or proud either of these are not what we would desire for ourselves (I hope I am right on these matters) I need to pray for my family and siblings, I need to have a burden for them, I need to enquire and check upon them when they are sick and lonely yet I don’t have to know everything that is happening in their lives neither do they need to know the same. The clothes they have purchased, the houses they are looking for, the income of their husbands, amount of jewellery they have bought etc. I do not have time to know about the life of all the distant x, y, z related cousins or nieces or nephews. If and only if my conversations are profitable and could edify the other person, could lift them, comfort them or the other person has something to unburden and be set free – Is my speaking to them profitable. Else I am engaging in mere gossip. Am I preaching here – No not at all.. I am speaking as one who has fallen in these areas. As long as my conversations are about me and the things I could share that would help the other person.. I am ok..! Else I am an empty vessel that makes a lot of noise. I do not wish to live in this virtual me.
Yes… I do not wish to live in the virtual world. I am a child of God.. I should know when to take the phone and when not. I should know that even if i wish to spend some time reading.. It could be after the children are asleep, when my husband isn’t around. Don’t I have to take care of them when they are right besides me rather than stick my head low on that little blue screen. I need to repent.. Yes I need this repentance even more today… !
I can go on like this.. Because it’s true this virtual world battles against the real world. I do not want to fall into temptation. I would rather ask God to lead me not into temptation. As we need media in our day today life, which is true, we need to be even more cautious about handling this hot ball of coal that if not taken seriously could injure our own hands badly one day. May God help me to buffet my eye and keep me away from lusting like David.
Much needed article.