“We trend and tweet
but seldom confess....”
― Randy White
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Hi Friends,
I hope you're doing well and excited for the new month ahead!
As Gen Xers, Zers, and Millenials, discussing our spirituality side by side with social media can be a highly sensitive topic, yet so necessary.
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In this prevalent age of social media, there is a constant flow of hashtags, challenges, trending music, videos, and every other thing that pop culture brings.
As a young person and an emotional being, trying to stay sane and saved without having any FOMO (Feelings Of being Left Out) is not abnormal. We are young and might have the tendencies to want to belong. Yet there is a chance for us to enjoy being young and still be exceptional.
What does it all mean?
Merriam-webster.com describes woke as being "aware of and actively attentive of important facts and issues." To stay woke also means consciously aware of how issues like classism, sexism, and racism shape our daily lives.
According to Consulting.com, herd mentality is "the inclination for individuals......to follow along with what the group at large thinks or does. It is also known as mob behavior, group mind, groupthink, crowd psychology...".
Also known as the social default, Lexico.com defines it as "the tendency for people's behavior or beliefs to conform to those of the group to which they belong." Staying woke or/and being "à la mode" socially, one would expect, should involve originality or individualism.
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But a large number of young people, unintentionally, are now imitators or mimics of social trends. Who says we can't be our person and thrive socially?
Therefore, I would ahead now to stress that this post is not to ridicule anyone's social activities but to present us with a better path to claim our individuality and live life the way God intended.
Facts
Based on the chart above, we spend almost 3 hours daily on social media hence it is not odd that we feel the pressure to go with the flow of any and every trend. Following trends might be exhilarating but can be overwhelming.
Sifting through what one follows, and examining how we go about it, can be of great advantage, spiritually and emotionally.
Truth
Taking a closer look at what we scroll through, or what words (or intentions) are behind our hashtags, or what pop culture trend we are vibing to can be meaningful and impactful. Because ladies and gents, we cannot be just the "follow-follow" kind of Christians.
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Everything is not always as it seems, and a lot of patterns we, young people, follow, which have been over-loaded and rebranded with ideologies that contend with the word of God.
For emphasis' sake, again, the message here is not to disapprove of anyone's social activities or beliefs, but to shed light on how to stay relevant and be heard in a better way, not just as young people but as conscious-minded Christians.
We are royalty (1 Peter 2:9), not a people with whom anything goes (Romans 12:2). Standing out is in our DNA (Philippians 1:27), and we can exercise that muscle.
As important as it is to be like Jesus, is it also possible to show grace - give grace - in examining every trend? Absolutely, yes!
We cannot exalt ourselves above what others believe or do. But we can choose what and who to follow without bruising or trampling upon the beliefs of others.
We can carefully weigh the foundation of every pop culture trend out there and be a representative of the Spirit of God that lives in us. We can check our intentions behind songs, videos, etc., and yet be the trendsetter.
In this way, we show humility, and open conversations with people different from us, be a shoulder to lift others when they are ready to receive Jesus, yet while still being young, fun, and free.
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How do I stand out?
You might ask, is it possible to be active in the social world without getting lost? Absolutely!
Join me in the coming weeks, as we talk about asking deep and thoughtful questions, that not only steer us clear of herd mentality but help us to take advantage of it.
I trust you will be delighted to come back for more!
It is my prayer that we are excited to stand out, that we broaden our view about life as we've always known it, that we receive wisdom to step out into more purposeful living, and we let the Spirit of God be our only authentic guide!
Love & Peace,
The Lady Nudge
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'All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate, permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life]. ' 1 Corinthians 10:23
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Sources: consulting.com, lexico.com, smartinsights.com, biblegateway.com, globalwebindex.com,
Author's Disclaimer: All content of this blog is for informational and inspirational purposes only, and represents the opinions, experiences, and research made by the author.
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