Catechism: Social Media & My CommunitySample

Have you ever noticed that people who hang out together start talking alike, dressing alike, and sharing the same favorite things? It happens to all of us: we grow to be like the people who surround us. 

That’s why your school guidance counselor probably has a poster with something like, “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future!” hanging on the wall--but this isn’t some modern sociological theory. The ability of our friends to influence us for better or worse is a biblical truth. And that truth should get us thinking about the people we allow to speak into our lives. Whether they’re friends we meet in real life or online, their presence has the power to change us. 

Read Proverbs 1:8-19

Reflection Questions:

1. In the passage, we see how the young man’s “friends” tempt him by saying how fun and thrilling it will be to engage in sin. Is social media a place where you experience this same kind of temptation? Does your time online help you make wise decisions or cause you to stumble into sin? 
2. What are some positive and negative ways that your friends have influenced your identity and choices? 
3. Where do you most feel a sense of belonging? Do those people share a love for godly wisdom, or are your friendships based on something else? Ask God to give you a love for the truth of the gospel and for him to bring you Christian communities and face-to-face friendships that draw you closer to him.