As teens come to class, invite them to respond to this question: Do you think we can get the full picture of someone based on their social media or online presence? Why or why not? (Accept all reasonable responses.)
While social media may allow us to know parts of a person’s life, people’s online presence is often curated and presented as a “highlight reel” of their best moments. An article by The Independent has this to say about this highlight effect:
“social media is mostly used to keep in touch with friends and to network career opportunities. And with this in mind, why would we want to share our most vulnerable moments, the accidents, the losses and the heartbreaks of the year? Those are unlikely to help us acquire a job, or connect with old friends. It’s the “highlight reel” that fosters those relationships.”
While it’s great to follow and celebrate others’ successes, this doesn’t give us a full picture of their lives—or of who they really are.
Choose a volunteer who is outgoing, well-known, and personable. Have him or her stand in front of the large group. Ask students: What do we know about (name your volunteer)? Does he or she play a sport? Does he or she play an instrument? What interests does he or she possess? Encourage your class to list other things they know such as any of the siblings that may attend your church, any functions their parents may serve in the church (example: mother is an usher; father sings in the choir, etc.).
Write on the whiteboard (or screenshared document) all of the things you either know about this student or new things you learn about him or her as a result of this activity.
Making an effort to relate to people by getting to know them is a great way to deepen relationships. Think of all that we learned about _________ today just by asking a few questions. By relating to __________ and looking deeper into who he or she is as a person, we can honestly say we know him or her better now.
- In what ways do you relate to others? (Answers will vary such as getting to know someone better over time, asking questions, spending time together, doing something fun together, following someone on social media, being together on a team, committee, club, etc.)
- How do others get to know you? (Answers will vary. Invite students to share ways that people are able to get to know them.)
What if we could look into the minds of other people and know exactly what was going on with them? Do you think knowing what people have going on in their lives would make you more compassionate and empathic?
When people are going through tough times and we know about it, it is easy to be caring and thoughtful. However, we don’t always know what people are going through until we take the time to relate to them. Today’s lesson is about relating to people in such a way that we show we care and can share the Gospel with them. Let’s dig in to learn more.
Source: Actually, it’s OK if your social media is a highlight reel
