Jesus and IG

For 40 days Jesus was tested by the devil, and during that time he went without eating. When it was all over, he was hungry.

Luke 4:2 (CEV)

You know it’s not good for you. And you know you are addicted and just checked it 20 seconds ago, but . . . you pick up your phone and check your social media or text messages again. Sigh.

It’s really hard to use social media and smart phones responsibly. They’re built to addict people. It’s too easy to make snarky, rude comments when you’re hiding behind a screen. It may feed your ego briefly, but then knocks your self-esteem down when people don’t respond. It can be a colossal waste of time, or even a door to soul-crushing things like porn or bullying.

But social media and smart phones in themselves are not bad. They’re a way to stay connected to friends around the world. They can influence people for the good. What’s a teen to do?

Obviously, Jesus didn’t tell us how to deal with social media. But he did show us many principles that can be applied: like living your life with purpose, reacting to others in kindness, not being obsessed with how others view you, and resisting anything that’s wrong. Jesus shows us how to fight the devil’s baiting by calling out his lies and combatting them with God’s truth in the Bible.

God has promised to help us escape temptation. So, if you find your social media habits are not a positive influence in your life, ask him for wisdom on what to do. He can help you take a break, block negative or crude people on your feed, or use it for good to tell people about Jesus.

SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING

Think about it! Too often we do things without thinking about the consequences or if the actions align with God’s will. Pray and work through these questions.

• How do you feel after you post something?
• How do you feel after people respond—or don’t respond?
• How much of your feed is positive and encouraging?
• How can you use it to influence your generation for good?

INSPIRATION

“Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sight of God, takes from you your thirst for spiritual things or increases the authority of your body over your mind, then that thing to you is evil.”

—Susanna Wesley, a minister’s wife in the early 1700s, and the mother of John and Charles Wesley who became well-known theologians

KEEP IT GOING

Related passages: These additional verses will help you expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.

Proverbs 28:10

Lamentations 3:40

1 Corinthians 10:13

Hebrews 2:18