Dark

Isaiah 8:21-22, They will wander through the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and god. They will look toward the earth and see only distress, darkness, and the gloom of affliction, and they will be driven into thick darkness.

Isaiah was writing in a time that sounds a lot like today. Our culture bombards us with thousands of images from all directions; TV, print, and social media. It’s hard to escape. They tell us we don’t have enough, we are not good enough, we need more, need better.  And just like in Isaiah’s day, we turn to the world to fulfill our needs, our wants, and our desires.

The news is filled with negative versions of the world; wars, famine, natural disasters, and crime. Social media is full of hate, pride, and inappropriate content. Turning to these aspects in our world leads to anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression.  According to Mental Health America (mhanational.org/condition/despression), 21 million Americans are diagnosed with depression each year. 3.7 million of these are between 12 and 17. And approximately 5000 between 15-24, will commit suicide. This number has tripled since the 60’s. 

In an episode of Quincy, “A Cry for Help” (1983), a teenage girl commits suicide by shooting herself. Her boyfriend is suspected of murdering her due to the evidence found. They were supposed to commit suicide together, but after she shot herself, he got scared and backed out. She had shot herself in his van, so he dumped her body and cleaned his van. He then devised a story about a fight and him letting her out on the highway.  During the investigation, it was discovered that multiple students had jumped from the tallest building on campus. When her “friends” were questioned, they said she really didn’t have any friends, and that she talked about suicide so much, she was probably better off. Not once did anyone say they tried to help. When the boyfriend decided to attempt suicide at the end of the show, his parents came forth to help save his life. The teens in this show didn’t have technology to drive them to this, but they also didn’t have friends to help them. The young girl reached out to her father one last time by calling him on a pay phone, but he put her on hold. He was too busy at work to talk to her. Her boyfriend’s father was never at home. It wasn’t until his girlfriend died, that he came home, just in time to save his son and tell him he loved him and promise to be there for him.

Today, social media is the place we turn.

Social media is the perfect place to bully someone. You don’t have to look them in the face. They can buy someone in person, but on social media, they don’t even have to be near, and they can do it 24/7.

Social media tells us what we should look like, wear, and how we should talk and act. Teens compare themselves to what they see and don’t think they are good enough.

Social media can also target individuals based on what they search for and watch. The 2020 movie, “The Social Dilemma” talks about the dangers of social networking. I discovered the film while substituting. Another teacher was showing it and I was sitting in on his class. It addresses how groups search out individuals who are looking for a place to belong; extremist organizations, hate groups, gangs, human trafficking, cults, and terrorists.

Social media also leads us into the darker regions of society by opening the door to the supernatural realm. For years books and movies have been written about witches, vampires, monsters, and the occult. But social media opens new doors. The series “Twilight” is a story about werewolves set in a modern-day high school. A local group of high school students formed a wicca based on the book. They met in a local cave to perform spells. They believed they were witches and werewolves. Just a quick Google search of the word “Wicca” opens up multiple book listings for sale and pages of links. Sarah Anne Sumpolec wrote an article on “Focus on the Family”, entitled “The Dangerous Trend of Manifesting and Witchcraft on Social Media”.

Now I’m not saying technological advancements are bad and the cause of all our problems. What I’m saying is our misuse of technology is a major hindrance to our lives. I use my phone to research my topics, read my daily devotion, and search scriptures, but I also keep track of my friends and family, play games, and check my bank account. But I know how to monitor what I see. Children don’t. 

Our children are searching. They are at a fork in their lives just like the Judeans. They are wandering, trying to make a way for themselves.. If we do not lead them to the light, they will be driven to the darkness (Isaiah 8:22). We must show them that a light has come, a light has dawned on those in this world of darkness (Isaiah 9:2). A light, Christ Jesus, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah (9:6). We must teach them His word so it can be a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their path (Psalms 119:105). And introduce them to the Light of the World, so they don’t have to walk in darkness (John 8:12). Because if God is our light and our salvation, our stronghold, we won’t have to fear (Psalms 27:1). We won’t need to search for a place to belong. We will be heirs of God. A Child of God. We will be in the Light.