Students in any given week have classes, homework, work internships, not to mention attempting to hold together a semblance of a social life with friends. With everything going on in our lives, we can become tired and struggle with keeping our faith relevant.

Vanessa Serrano, a Biola Alum and Director of Student Ministries at Revive Church, spoke about this unspoken tension that becomes evident with the thousands of things that we try to do on a regular daily basis. Using Matthew 6:1-14 as her backdrop, Serrano asked if we are actively keeping Christ at the center of everything we do—if we are missing the mark.

Matthew 6:1-4 begins by calling us to be wary not to be motivated by showing off what we are doing for Christ but instead, “what we sow privately, God rewards publically.” This idea that we act humbly in our Christian walks comes to a heart posture. I think so many times, especially as students at a Christian college like Biola, we become so focused and determined on showing off all the Christian things we do for the Instagram likes or to create this false sense that our lives are not as selfish as they really are.

We must constantly be asking God what he wants for us next. By doing this we can begin to create a heart posture that is focused on what God wants for our lives. This will begin to force us to constantly be thinking about what God would have for us and so that even in the little things that we may do in life our minds and hearts are still focused on God’s plan.

If we take these words from Serrano and not only think on them, but also allow this knowledge to take root in our hearts, our Instagram generation could become a generation where we use social media and our lives not to gain accolades from our peers, but instead to proclaim the amazing things God is doing through his followers and to inspire other believers to open their hearts to what God has for them when they put his kingdom first.