I live in a world that is so deeply rooted in social media. If I look at one corner, someone’s on their smartphone, and when I look another way, someone’s on their laptop (often times on a Mac… PC for the win!) If I turn around, chances are, the person next to me is checking Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Instagram, or some other form of social media. Although I am not exactly tech savy or up-to-date with all social media, I have been exposed to enough to make me reflect…
We need to be aware of how we portray ourselves. I have to admit, there were times in the past where I have posted useless things or slightly inappropriate comments thinking, “It’s just for jokes anyways,” or “people know how I’m like anyways!” What I choose to expose in one moment, a couple seconds, a few minutes, or one picture (or more), one post or a status becomes a piece of my life. Once it’s up on social media, it’s exposed for all to see, and that includes people I don’t know. For some, it would be an update, and to others, it would be a first impression… Regardless, it’s an exposure of my interests and my life.
Life isn’t selfie. It is not something we can capture in one moment and pass it off the next. It can’t be edited, nor can it be copied, pasted, cropped, erased, or designed by human hands. It isn’t Photoshop. I may not know much about social media, but I do know that life is about living. And as a missionary… as a Catholic… as a daughter of God, I must be as aware of what I post and how I portray myself as delicately as I make myself aware of life. Life is beautiful… it is delicate… it is fragile, and if I am to expose a piece of this fragility with one shot, I want – wholeheartedly – to do so with God in mind.
Carrying this in mind, I now catch myself thinking, “Am I portraying God? Am I portraying the real me? Or am I portraying a joke?”… “WHAT DO OTHERS SEE IN ME? WHAT DOES GOD WANT TO SEE IN ME?” And when I think about this, I find myself becoming more aware and being more careful with myself. A picture can be edited, but a picture is not alive. I am. And God is alive in me.
“I AM WHO I AM.”
(This is what God said to Moses as He anointed him to deliver His people from bondage)
If we are made in the image and likeness of God, then we should use all that we are – all that we say, all that we do – in ALL AREAS OF OUR LIVES to be like Christ… To be YOUNG PEOPLE BEING AND BRINGING CHRIST WHEREVER WE ARE. WE SHOULD BE WHO WE ARE. If I am made in the image and likeness of God, then I must portray the image and likeness of God in Everything, with Everything, and for Everything.
If God was a Photographer, Videographer, Blogger, Vlogger, or some media/ social media expert, would He be happy with the shots He takes of me, including the candids?
Lord, may You be my strength and guide me as You fervourously mold me more and more in Your image and likeness. May You be the strength of all humanity in persevering through all our hardships, downfalls, and failures so that through them, we may find You more and more in each “shot” and in each day… in every living moment.
Come Holy Spirit, fill us as You will…
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us…