Ridiculous
I heard a parent
tell a young child (somewhere between 5-7) years old, “you’re being ridiculous”
– the word grated upon my ear.
How do you say
something like that to a child? Did I
ever say things like that to my children – probably so, O Lord forgive me. Have I said, or even thought it, about
someone? O Lord forgive me.
What was the child
doing which caused such censure?
First define the
word, maybe, just maybe it doesn’t mean what I think…
ri-dic-u-lous – an adjective
– deserving or inviting derision or mockery, absurd.
So, what was the
child doing to deserve, or worse inviting, derision or mockery.
The parent wanted to
take a picture in them in their rain boots, the child didn’t want to comply. Disobedience?
Maybe, but I’m guessing
the reason for the picture was meant to be posted on social media – for the
purpose of?
Look at me
Look at my children
Acknowledge me
Affirm me
RELEASE THE
DOPAMINE!
Which of course
meant I had to research how accurate my ‘perception’ of social media seeking
thrills.
Ouch – I’m not on
social media, in fact, I’d withdrawn from even posting on this blog because I
didn’t want to do it for the ‘oh look at me’ or ‘affirm me’ or ‘oh look how many views I’ve had’ (guilty as
charged).
However, as I read
the article, I realized I’m still guilty!
Grief! My phone has become an
extension of my hand! I spend W-A-Y too
much time looking at my phone!
Here are just a few
highlights – but really read the article (even on your smartphone!) or research
it further and pray about it, pray for your loved ones, pray for me!
…adults in the US spend an average of 2-4 hours per day tapping, typing, and swiping on their devices.
…the social structures in which we thrive tend
to contain about 150 individuals. This number is orders of magnitude smaller than the 2 billion potential connections we carry around in our pockets today.
Although not as intense as hit of cocaine,
positive social stimuli will similarly result in a release of dopamine,
reinforcing whatever behavior preceded it.
This neurological feature is something casino
owners have used to their advantage for years.
Other examples highlight a more deliberate
effort to monopolize your time.
Smartphones and social media apps aren’t going
anywhere anytime soon, so it is up to us as the users to decide how much of our
time we want to dedicate to them.
So the next time you pick up your phone to
check Facebook, you might ask yourself, “Is this really worth my time?”
Lord, help us to see
ourselves as You see us, to remember we are slaves, Your servants. Help us to use the resources You give in a
way which brings You honor and glory.
Help us to be good stewards of the time You’ve allowed us on this side
of glory.
