Parents, how tuned in are you to the content on your kids’ social media feeds? This month, for the first time in history, the American Psychological Association issued a list of ten recommendations guiding kids’ use of social media.
Why? Skyrocketing rates of depression, anxiety and loneliness in teens related to social media.
The APA warns that dangerous content negatively shaping identity “is more common in children’s feeds than parents may realize. A recent survey of teenage girls found that 40% see harmful images and videos related to suicide at least once a month on Instagram and TikTok, and about a third say they see content related to eating disorders at least once a month on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube.”
To make this more challenging, kids know more about these apps than adults do. Meanwhile, adults everywhere are glued to their phones—at home, in line at the store, while “watching” their son’s soccer game or daughter’s dance recital, during dinner—and very much picking up on the message that phones are more important than most anything, even family relationships.
There has to be a better way forward, and there is: God.
God designed families. God knows families. God loves families. God engineered your family. God joined a family when Jesus was born here. God calls believers his own family. And not just any family.
God’s family is a spiritually vibrant family. Any family where God is in the house is part of God’s spiritually vibrant family. Any church where Jesus is in charge is part of God’s spiritually vibrant family.
My iPhone 7 was so old that Apple was no longer providing IOS updates, it wouldn’t stay charged, it would drop calls, apps would suddenly quit and it thought my name was Josh. I knew it was limping along, but I didn’t realize how dysfunctional it really was until I got a new iPhone 14.
Wow! A fully functioning phone with some brand new features including highly upgraded technology for photos and videos. The clarity and colors are amazing and bright.
That’s what God has in mind for your family at home and our CrossLife family here. Vibrant. Leaving behind dysfunctions, like limping along with barely enough energy to barely operate, or like being locked into broken relationships with no hope of upgrading.
Wow! New clarity for picturing Jesus’ mission before us. New colors bringing to life the beautiful promises of God. Charged fully for resilient faith, passionate worship and inviting friends who need Jesus. Always connecting and communicating with Jesus and each other. It’s like a new family upgrade!
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:14-17).
PRAYER: Strengthen me, God, through a clearer connection to Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit inside of me. Heal family feuding and church conflict, upgrading us to be your spiritually vibrant people. Show others your saving work in us, that they also will be saved. Amen.
FREE TOOLS FOR YOU: What are some practical tips for becoming a more spiritually vibrant family at home and church? In this video I share THE BIG THREE and other helps.