Monday Motivational - Connecting and Staying Connected

                                                     Monday Motivational – Connecting and Staying Connected
 
      Welcome to another Monday Motivational! During the last week or so I have had the opportunity to meet with some new people and catch-up with some others. Overall these meetings were great, and helped to show me more concretely that when working in ministry, and in life in general, the networks we make and pursue are very important. I spent some time reflecting on what a good first impression means, what accessibility involves, and wondering how you remain connected to the numerous people you get to meet in your weekly life. All of these things are important in your adult life while navigating your career path, but little time and effort goes into teaching how to do and manage them.
 
     The culture we are living in revolves so heavily around technology, which seems like a great outlet for accessibility and connecting, but if we are not learning to use our technology for these things we are missing growth opportunities. How then do we start using these social media outlets in a way that strengthens our presence in the lives of others while also expressing our purpose as believers? Being someone who fails miserably at using technology I don’t know the answer to that. I do know that people look through our social media platforms and make assessments and judgments about who they think we are so we need to start treating these platforms as avenues to point others to Christ.
 
     John 13:35 says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”. Are you using your social media to show love to others? Are you using it to uplift and encourage others? Or are you the type of person who likes to scroll through and judge other people because you know they are doing the same to you? Regardless of what your method has been in past, make an intentional effort to use your social media presence to encourage, uplift, and point others to Christ.
 
      Now, of course this is easier said than done, but as a believer we have the Word of God to help us! We can look to the life of Christ and learn from the way he treated others. Christ also gives us the perfect outline for how to stay connected through His discipleship of the twelve. What better way to remain connected to those we meet than by joining along side them in discipleship growth? In my personal opinion there is not one! Christ tells us that the two greatest commandments are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” in Luke 10:27. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant then yourself.”.
 
    If we want to connect and stay connected to the people we come into contact with throughout our week we must make a life style out of loving God and loving others!
 
    I apologize for not having a Monday Motivational last, and I will continue to try my best to get one posted every week! I hope that your week is full of successful opportunities to love God and others is such a way that they see Christ living and working through you!
 
Happy Monday!