Do you find it relatively easy to notice someone else’s “issues” in life? Even if you are kind enough and wise enough to keep your trap shut…do you sometimes notice those things that hold others captive?
You know, “Tsk, tsk, sweet little Samantha couldn’t stop talking about others if her life depended on it. Why can’t she just stop the gossip?” Or, “Oh my look at the shopping bags in her hand when is Sandra going to stop burying her troubles in a credit card?”
Thinking “bless her heart” does not minimize the fact that God does not call us to determine the issues of our sisters – He calls us to focus on our own issues and allow Him to transform our hearts and attitudes.
Yet, it is so easy to faulter and frown at others – get that left eyebrow cocked up, that smirk and that sweet little head to shifting back and forth just enough to pass fleshy judgment.
Humph.
Isn’t that just like the enemy of our souls to get us (me) all focused on other folks and their “obvious” issues, then we (I) will be blind to our (my) own. Oldest trick in the good book.
I seem to recall a scripture about stop looking at her splinter, when you have a largenormous telephone pole sized piece of lumber protruding from yourself. Well, not exactly like that…but that is the way I am remembering it right now.
So…what is my telephone pole?
I am prideful. The word “I” floats through my head 27,000 times more a day than it should.
In the last several weeks I have come to the alarming conclusion that this is manifesting itself in a sneaky, prowling around like a lion sort of way. I am transfixed by social media and my foot print there. I check Facebook way too often, I check to see if anyone has left a comment on my blog site way too often and I constantly feel dejected if I have minimal interaction on Twitter.
How all about me is that?
WAY all about me.
And I have decided that is a dangerous place to be because social media can too easily become a time stealer and a prideful persons gynormous stumbling block. And yes, I am talking about me here!
Social media is causing me to labor and spin.
“See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.” Matthew 6:28 (b)
Recently I have spoken to dozens of bloggers who are hearing this same message from the Lord. Many are just stepping away, some deeply cutting back.
I am not here to arch my eyebrow and point a finger…I just want to know if God is doing something mighty amongst bloggers and turning our hearts towards home and away from the labor and spin that is the social media machine.
Please share what is on your heart!
UPDATE:
WOW – look at these two posts I just read! God really is stirring the hearts of moms on the subject of social media.
http://www.frugal-mama.com/2012/09/why-i-am-dropping-the-business-side-of-blogging-my-truth-about-making-money-online/
http://queenbeecoupons.com/pinterest-making-you-feel-inadequate-remember-you-cant-pin-love/
Wow!!!!! If I didn’t know better, I’d think you had super powers and had been in my hip pocket over the last couple of days! I woke up thinking these EXACT same things about myself! I have been SUPER guilty of the ‘finger pointing’ these last few days. And the social media thing….well I am so bad about checking my FB messages, or feeling ‘less of a blogger’ because no one comments on it. I should be so less worried about that and more concerned about how God will use it! Thank you for this post! I love blogging! I have in the last few years gotten so, so many blessings from various posts and I write my blog in hopes that someone else can be blessed by it as well. I just need to practice moderation in all things 🙂
Btw, I bought your book Be The Mom, and OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!! It was awesome! I would put it on the top of my list of favorite books! It spoke straight to my heart! I am a do-er and I struggle with the be-er part. But now, I find myself saying {to myself} ALL the time “BE THE MOM!” Thank you! I’ve passed it on to a friend 😉
Enjoyed this and I’m tweeting it (just b/c I use social media, too!). As an unpublished author, it is hard to stop checking email for that big acceptance notice or watching your blog comments. BUT I find that when I just walk away, I actually get things done, like housework and whatnot. Seriously, I constantly have to revamp my time schedule and limit my online time, just like I limit my kids’ video game time. It’s not much different.
Great post! And enjoying your book, “Be the Mom!”