Netflix’s ‘The Social Dilemma,’ is being devoured in living rooms across the world, leaving viewers with the stomach-churning question: Yikes! Am I being played??

The documentary, directed by Jeff Orlowski, curates interviews with highly-placed former employees of tech giants like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Instagram, who contend that we’ve become pawns in the hands of companies which prey on human weakness because of their laser-sharp focus on the bottom line.

As I watched ‘The Social Dilemma,’ my phone lay charging on the nightstand – it was about 10 pm and my battery was gasping for air. If I swiped right from the home screen, my iPhone would reveal an inordinate number of “Screen Time” hours, and a wave of quiet embarrassment would sweep over me – only to be expertly dismissed the next morning.

As someone who wants to honor God, I want to engage fully in the work He has called me to do. I want to give God an undivided heart. I want to give my best to the relationships in my life. Yet, I find myself distracted and distant. And I’m vaguely aware that the dissonance between my desires and real-life can often be traced back to my device dependency.

Why this powerful addiction?

From this documentary, it would seem like I’ve become a willing victim to technology that knows exactly how to keep me hooked.

While we can’t control the tech giants, do we recognize that we are becoming mindless marionettes in their game? Or like every addict, do we fool ourselves into thinking we have a handle on it?

But, there’s good news – even while we might find ourselves sinking in this quagmire that is social media, we also have the option of standing on the rock-solid Word of God.

Here are some suggestions to help ensure that we’re not tossed about by every wind of technology that blows our way.

Recognize the personal cost

It’s time for us to wake up and smell the coffee – and stop drinking the ‘Social media is a just fun pastime’ Kool-Aid. This is about the world’s wealthiest businesses mining our attention for money. The problem is not “out there.” It sits at our distracted dinner tables. It hangs out at our parks where parents push swings with one hand while holding their phones with the other. It creeps into our bedrooms where husbands and wives are content with the silence of screens until they slink into sleep. It hurries down the hallways of Middle Schools where 14-year-old girls are distraught because they haven’t got enough likes on an Instagram post.

The Bible reminds us that “If you think you’re standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.” (1 Corinthians 10: 12). If we don’t acknowledge we are personally suspectable to the problem, we are likely to simply be sucked in.

Recognize the power God has given you

We start by valuing the inherent resurrection power that is at work in every child of God (Ephesians 1: 18-23). We invite God into every aspect of our lives – including our online addictions. We ought to ask ourselves: Do I allow Him to take captive my thoughts or am I simply too distracted to be still and know? God’s Word reminds us that He gives us everything we need for life and for godliness. That includes living an abundant life, free from the grip of our gadgets.

Recognize that boundaries bring freedom

The interviewees in the documentary have some simple tips: turn off notifications, ignore those click-baitey titles, use a different browser, put your phone away half an hour before bedtime, hold off on giving devices to younger children. Recently, I’ve followed the principle of “Word before World” where I first turn my eyes on Jesus before I turn my attention to my phone the second I roll out of bed. It gives me the chance to be refreshed and renewed in God before I’m bombarded by an avalanche of information and news.

Sure, there are times I’ve felt like the lure of social media is crazy hard to ignore. But as 1 Corinthians 10 points out no temptation (and that would include the power of tech giants) is too difficult to resist. Artificial Intelligence may seem to have the upper hand as it baits us with hits of dopamine. But God promises that He has provided the way out of every temptation  (1 Corinthians 10:13). It’s up to you and me to take that way out and live in the freedom that He has for us.

---

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash