Tool, Toy, Or Tangent?

Karen

My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.

—Psalm 31:15

I have a love-hate relationship with social media. I love that it keeps me connected to family and friends. It allows me to spy on . . . er . . . keep up with my kids, and I can post a prayer request when accidents or sicknesses occur. And I love reconnecting with some friends from my past. But I hate the way, if left unchecked and without boundaries in place, social media can become a massive black hole, eating up time and energy while diverting my attention from what’s most important.

As a guideline I have learned to ask myself, Is this a tool, a toy, or a tangent?

The internet in general is a fabulous tool. It can be used for God and for good, such as organizing meals for a hurting family or participating in an online Bible study. But it can also be used for bad, including cyberbullying, extramarital affairs, and publicly and caustically airing our frustrations about other people.

It can also be a toy. Nothing is wrong with toys. We all need a little fun and relaxation. And if we enjoy playing games online, that’s great.

What crosses the line is when any online activity becomes a tangent: a sudden diversion that takes us off track from our priorities and responsibilities.

Tangents torch our time, sap our strength, and cause us to ignore loved ones. Tangents give us a false sense of being productive, doing something, when in reality, we aren’t accomplishing anything. Then we feel frustrated, defeated, and even guilty when we realize how much time we’ve wasted.

In Psalm 31:15, the psalmist placed his time in God’s hands and asked for deliverance from his enemies. Although he was speaking of physical enemies who could do him harm, we need to realize our tools, toys, and tangents can harm us too.

I’ve had my own tangents that have led me off track and caused me to neglect my family and household responsibilities. And these situations made me feel like a failure.

Maybe you have done and felt the same. Today let’s prayerfully and carefully (with all honesty) ask ourselves while spending time online, Is this a tool, a toy, or a tangent?

By doing this and setting healthy boundaries, we can overcome the enemy of defeat and eliminate unnecessary frustration. We can free up time for the important relationships and tasks God has for us and live our lives in a meaningful, not frivolous, way.

Dear Lord, teach me to use my time wisely, in a way that honors You and isn’t derailed by tangents. I want to be efficient and effective for Your kingdom’s work. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Reality check: How often do you let your time on social media become a tangent that is not helping you in life, but is actually hurting you because it is causing you to waste many minutes—or even hours—per day? It might be time to take some serious action. Enlist the help of a friend who will keep you accountable to refrain from the excessive use of social media. Or download an app that will keep track of your time spent on these various accounts and give you a wakeup call. (Moments is one such app.) Write down your plan of action here.