Is Social Media De-Socializing Us?

Yesterday night, when I was at a restaurant with my family, I couldn't help but notice a couple sitting at a table across from us. After the couple ordered their meals, they immediately took out their cell phones and searched the Internet and sent text messages for a full half an hour until their meals arrived. During that time, they never spoke a single word. They didn't even look at each other; their eyes were constantly transfixed on their cell phone screens.

Have the people in today's world lost the ability to socialize face-to-face? Have they lost the ability to look into each other's eyes and sense each other's feelings, not just through words, but by the expressions on their faces and the tone of their voices. Is social media and internet addictions de-socializing us?

What I saw last night was pathetic, and instantly I felt great sadness for the couple and all people who can no longer keep their cell phones in their pockets when out on a date with their husband/wife, or boyfriend/girlfriend. These people loose out in so much.

The Bible warns us that we must never stop listening or paying close attention to God's voice and what we hear Him speaking. The closer we listen to God, the more understanding of His character and His ways we receive, and the more blessed we are in knowing and having a close relationship with Him.

"The He added, 'Pay close attention to what you hear.

The closer you listen,

the more understanding you will be given —

and you will receive even more.'"

Mark 4:24 (NLT)

This holds true with any relationship. The more we pay close attention to what the other person is saying, the more understanding we will have of the other person, and the more fulfilled and happier we will be in the relationship. We really can't fully understand people's words, until we hear the tone of their voices, sense their moods, and watch for facial cues and body language. Social media takes that ability away from people.

Let us all listen and pay more attention to God and to others by keeping our cell phones in our pockets more, and spending less time on the Internet using the various tools of digital socialization.