This past summer, I launched The Wisdom Journal to spark interest in my faith memoir Wisdom Builds Her House. In advance, I consulted with a designer to give my website a new look and feel that identified my brand, the third season of life. Accordingly, in addition to my weekly blog Notes from Vanaprastha: Reflections on Faith, Nature, and Writing linked on Facebook, I updated my bio, book, and publication pages. I also started to write weekly Friday Happy Hours posts with third-stage-of-life stories and recipes on Substack, with pictures posted on Instagram. Part of a straight-forward marketing plan to attract followers to what I had to offer.
New efforts to spark interest
Because I hadn’t been overly successful in reaching my target audience—women of faith in the second half of life—I sought help from a digital marketer. The results of these new efforts to spark interest have been amazing—and a bit unsettling. Every Instagram reel or carousel attracted at least a few thousand views; the most popular, about aging, over half million, a heady number and dangerous.
Far too often during the day, I’d catch myself checking Instagram follower numbers and “insights” for posts that continued to attract likes and comments. As if those statistics measured my worth. When I checked this morning, the “aging” reel had 674,966 views and 2,956 interactions—likes, comments, saves, shares. See the problem?
And another problem: time. One rule for online engagement is don’t post and ghost. That is, I needed to—and wanted to—respond to comments. But that kind of engagement takes time, and time is finite. To make room for this new commitment, what was I slighting? And was I missing other opportunities, such as recording Notes from Vanaprastha as podcasts on YouTube, as I had a few years ago? After all, with so much fakeness posted online, people want to see a real person speaking her words.
But the real issue is this: Is my heart in the right place, or am I curating myself to spark interest? Good questions and problems with no easy answers. Because I am human.
Trouble, as a spark flies upward
For man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward. Job 5:7 (NASB)
If any Biblical figure knows trouble, it’s Job. A righteous man, but thanks to Adam and Eve, every human being is born into this world with a sinful nature. Sin is unavoidable, inevitable like sparks which always fly up. The primary theme of the book of Job is that, because of sin, everyone will experience trouble.
Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I fall all too easily into sin and selfishness. Putting myself before God. Thinking all the views and followers are my glory, not God’s. Even with the Spirit working in and through me, my old sinful nature is within me still. And that will not change until Christ comes again.
Just as a spark will continue to fly upward, sin will cause trouble.
Like tinder and spark burn together
The strong man will become like flax fiber, and his work a spark. So they shall both burn together. And there will be no one to extinguish them. Isaiah 1:31 (NASB)
Here’s the prophet Isaiah’s God-inspired words on this vexing topic. It is futile to rely on my own strength and power, that is, to trust my own abilities and bow down to the god of numbers—views, likes, comments, followers. If I worship that idol, my work will become a spark and I the tinder to burn and be consumed together.
What we’re talking about is human pride and self-reliance leading to downfall, as in Proverbs 16:18—Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Accomplishments separate from God lead to ruin, as in Galatians 6:7— Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Both sinner and sins will be judged. A sobering truth.
I cannot avoid my human flaws, my desire for attention and affirmation, followers and likes. But I can keep a running reel of questioning going in my head. What message am I sowing, and is it pleasing to God? Is this what He wants me to do with my time? Am I on the right path, Lord? Shine Your light. Show me Your way.
Then listen and trust that the Spirit will guide.
Linkup with Five Minute Friday
Carole, I will admit I’m confused with your different “avenues” of communication. I actually didn’t realize you were still doing Notes from Vanaprastha. I used to get an email every week but don’t get that anymore. All I see now seems to come from FB and I’m sort of distancing myself a bit from FB. Actually all the social media outlets are really turning me off lately. There’s so much click bait and so many fake stories that I don’t want to have to weave my way through all of these. Not sure if this comment helps you with your dilemma. It just almost seems like your target age group would be less likely to follow you as that age group may not follow social media. Hey maybe I’m just too old for your target age group since I’m not liking social media. Just my 2 cents.
Thank you for your comment – and I’d be distancing myself, too, if I didn’t have my mission to fulfill. I moved Notes from Vanaprastha to my website, so if you want to receive email notification as before, go to caroleduff.com and subscribe. -C.D.
It’s definitely all too easy to get caught up in numbers! If we are planting seed (scripture) in our writings, we know the Word does not return void, so we know a harvest will be reaped. It just might not look like what we expect.
Ah, thank you for abiding with me, for your encouragement and wisdom! -C.D.
Carole, thank you for your honesty. So many of us are inclined to judge ourselves by things like social media clicks and email subscriber numbers. It’s helpful to hear about your struggle with this issue.
Thank you, dear Carol, for reading and for your encouragement! -C.D.
Carole, I appreciate your frankness about keeping a certain spark alive. Your thoughts about one’s finite time versus the infinite outreach of social media is thought-provoking. Through your faithfulness, God will offer His light as a timely pathfinder. God’s peace be with you.
Thank you for your comments, Richard, insightful as always! -C.D.
Carole, your journey reminds me of my middle school teaching years. “Staying flexible” with my classroom schedule was a welcome sign of patience.
Amen, Richard, Amen!