The fall of the social media

Age of social media? Easy to trust people and connections.Yet we were warned: so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.Your destiny and purpose are independent of your friends (both online and offline). I was wondering how many friends-conferences God had to call before He swore unto Abraham and fulfill His promises to that old man? Look unto the rock from where you were hewn, look unto Abraham your father. I called him alone! I blessed and multiplied him. Purpose and destiny, neither answer to the whining of your desire, nor kept on hold at the mercy of foes. I was wondering what gave Abraham such level of influence? What gave Isaac such level of greatness in an age where there was no social media? What made Jacob so rich when he was just a mere livestock Keeper under Uncle Laban, the actual livestock owner? Overtly dependence on the social media for our answers will gradually let many people down! (pause and ponder).When flattering, you will hear people say concerning their friends: what will i do without you? Such phrase could be answered: many things! For they that know their God will be strong and they will do valiantly...but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits (Daniel 11:32).
Although, we were made to connect. We were shaped for relationships. Yes! We heal, thrive and blossom in communities. And it is an understatement to say that the social media has been resourceful in creating plethora of opportunities. There has been reduction in the travel rate since people can now connect online and use these readily available media.
However, the pseudo-reality, the simulation of actual human connections, relationships and communities that the new social media created has led many into the deception that, this is it! It has brought about undue pain from trusting in the power of the engine! It has beclouded so many to think that this is all it takes to realize personhood, achieve greatness, success and more. As a result, what social media created, it will have to sustain. And whatever social media started, it will have to end. But I am convinced that this will be quite difficult. Why because it is whatever God does that is final.
"I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him." (Ecclesiastes 3:14).
During the time of famine, "When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit."(Acts 7:12). Jacob heard the News of abundance in a far country, that there is hope beyond their present scope.You know, I am still wondering what Facebook account he had then? I am thinking what Tweeter account he got that hint tweeted from? As we gradually come to the era where relationships and connections that social networks formed begins to fail. Businesses that springs up overnight like mold, begins to fail.
Linkages in our linked-in age, is failing. Relationships that at first seems like prospects, are now failing many who are deliberately un-linking themselves. I think, more of un-following of some people will be seen. Most of the people you have followed or befriended in ignorance and out of mere excitements will begin to be dropped. Perhaps, some will give you adequate reasons to be "unfriended". In points of fact, more people will shut down their social network accounts completely!
Recently, a friend posted on her Facebook wall that she was leaving Facebook forever. So whoever wants to keep in touch with her should inbox their contact details. There will be more of such. Disappointments and anguish of soul from our promising social media. May be there will be bitterness and depression from some online communities that were at first promising because people's expectations were not met. Doubtless, as some people withdraw to their corners, others will continue; and some new applicants will still register. As new applicants join, some old members will exit. However, individual experiences will differ. Based on such unique experiences; judgement will be made either to stay or leave.
“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,Who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were hewn and to the quarry from which you were dug.“Look to Abraham your father And to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain; When he was but one I called him, Then I blessed him and multiplied him.” (Isaiah 51:1-2)." ...so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." (1 Corinthians 2:5). So that your confidence might not rest in some engine, in some online friendships, and even your offline connections but in the power of the ALMIGHTY. "I, even I, am He who comforts you.Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies. And of the son of man who is made like grass". (Isaiah 51:12). I have written to you today that life is real.  Life has questions. And as people encounter those questions of life, they ask for answers that even Google search cannot give. This calls for more questionings that demands real answers. As people continue in their dilemma, some merely hurt, others dared to seek. Some seek for solace. Others collect. Some keep items in hope that such keeping might answer their future questions. Others hope that their future needs gets answered by their savings and collections. Yet the need for answers remains obvious. Hence, people are stripped to truest and most enduring friendship, connection and communion. They will try God in instead of religion. They will taste and see that the Lord is good. They will shun religion and stick with their Maker. They will discover that God is good and He is the most dependable one.

Your hidden pseudo life!

An advertiser once posted an ad online, her next door neighbor who thought the job was advertized by a far away employer applied. When she came up to meet with the advertiser who was to interview her, she was so shell-shocked to see how so close to the job she was. Needless to say that the interview went awkward simply because up to that day, she had never been on good terms with her neighbor. She's been putting up impression of superiority and they've never exchange pleasantry as neighbors.We have had several jobs on our finger tips that we've lost because we were never connected. We did not lose opportunities because we did not qualify rather we lost because we overqualified in being distant. It is not that we have applied late but we have never appeared at all.

As I brood over our age, I realised that we have drifted away from not just a mere geographical source. But even from our divine source. My reflection brought me to the realisation of how much we live in an age of denial. We have drifted from home, from other people and our own selves. In my pondering, I see how we’ve shifted. Although we sing: “O Canada, we lean on God for thee” (2ce), it is only in our anthem. It is far from our heart. We tagged the Supreme Being on our money notes. We rejected Him in our hearts. We won’t retain God in our memory as we would have Him on our dollar bills. Yes! “in God we trust” but our values don't speak what our dollar note speaks.
Our hypocrisy made us reel in the pain of recession and nationally we would rather philosophize than come home to God.

Since we are now far in our hearts. And there is no heart to heart connection with others. We've become chained to a spot. We've become "guilty" prisoners of the web in our internet age. And like the Spiders’ web would catch and hold on to some moths and flies, we've been trapped in our browsing. The “browsing job” is our normal work where everyone goes as if employed but we just don’t get paid as we ought to. No one could see through our weaknesses to learn our authenticity. Yes! we poke, we tag, we advertise and sell. With our click of inorganic mouse, we see and share but behold our disconnectedness! Where we used to share some meals, some time and real friendships, we now share but links, some scripts, some java codes and programming languages. And in place of love language and peace songs, we share none.

Our societal disconnectedness is reflected in our attachment to our abstract chat room relationships where we are free to express ourselves to the utmost to strangers from another world. There we blindly date and take, opening up to the one on the other side of the screen rather than to the one on the other side of this world. Dissociated, we rejoice. In pseudo living we smile. Sapped in authenticity, sapped in strength, we cuddle our social networking world of pseudo connectivity on and on.