Walking Billboard

Social media is both a gift and a curse. I see so many wonderfully happy couples, cute and bubbly kids, amazing community events, and sometimes I even get nuggets of wisdom or sound spiritual counsel. However, I also get a front-row seat to all the ills of the world-the pain, the struggle, the evil. One thing I've noticed over the years is that social media can have a negative affect on our psyche, especially when we view the seeming success of others and compare it to ourselves...deeming us false failures.

Here's the deal, few people are willing to be a walking billboard of their pain. Most people aren't going to post anything about the bad times in their lives. Families don't take photos with frowns and tears. People don't post their bus pass because they can't afford a car. No one is taking a selfie in the unemployment line. There aren't many people who are going to log onto Facebook to post a video of them arguing with their spouse, so we assume that the images of the wedding cake, the cutesie family photos, and the long, heart-felt "Happy Anniversary" posts are it. Well as a happily married woman, IT'S NOT! The scripture of Shanelle states, "That man worketh a nerve!" And the word according to Darnell says, "That woman containeth much crazy!"

I mean c'mon, we want the world to know when things are going well. And sometimes even when they aren't, we want to keep up the facade so that other people will BELIEVE that we are living the happiest life with no problems or worries. You see, we are all willing to be walking billboards for the good times. Don't believe the hype! People aren't going to broadcast their shame, their embarrassment, their fear, their insecurities, but WE ALL HAVE THEM!  The images that burn themselves into our minds and tell us: they have a better car, they have a better job, they live in a better house, they have a better marriage, they have a better body, or they even have a greater relationship with God, are a scheme...they are not real. Someone else's success isn't your failure. Someone else's accomplishment isn't your downfall. Someone else's victory is NOT your defeat. YOU are a walking billboard for YOUR journey. Tell YOUR story. Embrace YOUR hills and YOUR valleys without envying the top of someone else's mountain!

Trust me when I tell you that envy is crippling to walking in God's promises. Feeling like we are less than someone else is counter to His message in our hearts. We are beautifully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). We are not to compare ourselves to one another (2 Corinthians 10:12), and we are more valuable to God than anything else (Matthew 10:31). Be Blessed, and if you need a reminder of how awesome you are, despite how many likes or loves someone else gets, check out this page for encouragement: http://biblereasons.com/being-unique/  XOXO