What are some of your favourite things about social media?

Allow 4–5 teens to share their thoughts.

There are lots of good things about social media. Here are a few:

• It allows us to do good things. We can share good news, truthful information, and encouragement with others. We can also use social media to help others.
• It can strengthen relationships, especially with friends and family members who live far away. Social media allows us to communicate with them more regularly and include them in the events of our everyday lives.
• It allows us to express our talents and creativity. We can share photos, videos, writing, and art with others on social media and be inspired by the creativity of the things others share.
• It gives us a sense of belonging. No matter what our situation or interests, we can find others on social media who have similar experiences. This can bring comfort when we are having difficulty and encouragement to pursue our interests.
• It is fun!

These are all great uses for social media that bring joy and encouragement to our lives, and these are great ways to use technology. Online gaming and video games are another fun and creative way to use technology.

• Do you play online or video games? If so, what do you like about them?
  • Allow 4–5 teens to share their thoughts.

Let’s talk about some of the benefits of online gaming and video games.

• They can help to increase our problem-solving skills, our fine motor skills, and our hand-eye coordination skills.
• They can allow us to compete with others and deal with aggressive feelings in a safe environment.
• They can increase our ability to concentrate for longer periods of time.
• They can help us to learn to make decisions more quickly.
• They are fun!

While both social media and video games offer many benefits, they also expose us to some risks. We need to learn to protect ourselves from those risks so we can enjoy these fun types of technology in safe and wise ways. Let’s talk about some of the risks.

• Risk 1: Social media and gaming can be addictive. They stimulate parts of the brain that cause a person to want more. These desires can cause a person to lose sleep, make irresponsible decisions, and neglect relationships and responsibilities.
• Risk 2: Social media and gaming can harm a person’s self-image. People who spend a great deal of time on social media often have a negative view of themselves because they spend so much time comparing themselves to others. They become discontent with their appearance, their accomplishments, and their life situations. Those who engage in online gaming may be shamed when they do not play well. This can also lead to feelings of discontent.
• Risk 3: Social media and gaming can damage your relationships with others. People who spend a lot of time on their online relationships or playing online games usually spend less time with the people around them. This often causes them to feel lonely and isolated. They do not receive the encouragement that comes from spending time with others who care about them.
• Risk 4: We may share things we regret. This can cause us to feel ashamed, and it may expose us to violations of our privacy and bullying. Online and text bullying, often called cyberbullying, can be even more hurtful than being bullied in person, as the damage is emotional rather than physical. We may also hurt others through what we share.
• Risk 5: We may be exposed to unnecessary violence. Competitive online games often encourage violence, and we may witness acts of violence on social media or be encouraged to do violent things.
• Risk 6: We may be exposed to dangerous people. Some people may try to trick you into sharing personal information or inappropriate photos of yourself in order to mistreat you or to satisfy their own sinful desires. Though these people may seem kind and honest, their own addictions may cause them to feel they would do anything to fulfil their desires.

Though these risks are important to think about when you are using technology, there are some things you can do to protect yourself from these risks.

First, protect your reputation. Negative information spreads quickly through social media and chats, and people rarely find out when this information is inaccurate or untruthful. We should never share anything on social media or in a game chat that we would not want everyone we know to see. Sharing something personal or compromising could put our reputations at risk. Listen to what the Bible tells us about the value of a good reputation.

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
Proverbs 22:1

• What does this verse teach us about protecting our reputations?
  • Allow 2–3 teens to share their thoughts. Then guide them to understand that a good reputation has great value.
• What are some practical ways we can protect our reputations from the risks of social media and gaming?
  • Allow 2–3 teens to share their thoughts. Suggestions could include: being careful what you look at or send to others via social media or gaming chats; thinking about how you will feel about others knowing that information; or being sure you are sharing things only with people you trust.

Teacher Tip: Some of your teens may have already shared inappropriate information with others, and some may have been hurt by these choices. Help them to understand that it is never too late to make a positive change. Though reputations are not easily restored, living a wise and godly life can help them to earn the respect of others. And, more importantly, God can help them to heal from the shame and guilt.

Second, think carefully about your words. We often feel free to say whatever we want to when we communicate through technology. This may cause us to appear rude, disrespectful, or unkind. However, we should follow the same social rules on technology platforms as we would when we are face to face with others. We should not share gossip, things we know are not truthful, or opinions that would hurt or offend others. Listen to what the Bible teaches us about expressing our opinions.

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach.
Proverbs 18:2–3

• What can these verses help us to understand about social media and gaming?
  • Allow 2–3 teens to share their thoughts. Then guide them to understand that social media and online gaming chats are often about expressing our opinions, but understanding is more important than making our opinions known. Also, when we do sinful things, our actions are often met with contempt, dishonour, and disgrace.
• What are some practical ways we can think carefully about our words when we are using social media and gaming?
  • Allow 2–3 teens to share their thoughts. Suggestions could include: always re-read anything you want to post before you post it; think about how you would feel if the post were directed toward you; make sure information is truthful before you share it; and always choose to post positive, encouraging things instead of negative or critical things.

Finally, do not give in to discontentment. Using social media and competing in online games can cause us to compare ourselves to others in negative ways. Discontentment with our skills, our appearances, and our lives causes us to focus only on ourselves and the things of the world. But the Bible teaches us that the things of the world are not as valuable as what we can gain from relationship with God:

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:15–17

• ow could thinking about “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” cause us to be discontent?
  • Allow 2–3 teens to share their thoughts. Then guide them to understand that pride and worldly desires often cause us to be discontent with our appearance, our relationships, our life situations, and our accomplishments.
• What advice would you give someone who is focused on these desires?
  • Allow 4–5 teens to share their thoughts. If the students do not mention it, share that focusing only on worldly things keeps us from focusing on God and our relationship with Him, so that person should place more value on what is eternally important to God.

Here are some things you can do to protect yourself from discontentment:

Spend more time with in-person relationships than you do with online ones.

Remember that people usually only share the very best things about their lives on social media and game chats. They rarely share about their struggles and their discontentment. They are probably experiencing challenges and disappointments, too!

Ask God to help you to be content with who you are. He created you and loves you completely! He can bring peace and joy, even in the areas of your life where you feel you are lacking.

What is the most helpful piece of information you learned today? Share it with someone sitting next to you.

What is 1 way you will use this information to help you to use social media and gaming wisely? Share your answer with a different person sitting next to you.