7 Deadly Sins #7 Lust: Abhi and the Perfect Imag
Abhi was a 15-year-old who loved to stay connected with his friends through social media. He enjoyed sharing pictures, posting updates, and seeing how many likes and comments he could get. The more attention his posts received, the better he felt. But lately, Abhi had started to worry a lot about what others thought of him, and he found himself spending more and more time trying to perfect his online image.
One day, Abhi’s friends decided to have a casual get-together at the park. It was a warm Saturday afternoon, and everyone was looking forward to just hanging out and having fun. But as soon as Abhi arrived, he was more focused on getting the perfect selfie than on enjoying the day.
Abhi took picture after picture, checking each one carefully to make sure his hair looked just right, his clothes were perfect, and the lighting was flattering. He kept asking his friends to retake group photos until everyone looked exactly how he wanted. His friends were patient at first, but after a while, they started to get annoyed.
“Come on, Abhi, let’s just enjoy the day,” his friend Sarah said, rolling her eyes. “Why are you so worried about getting the perfect picture?”
Abhi shrugged. “I just want it to look good when I post it,” he replied. But deep down, he knew it was more than that. He was chasing the approval of his online followers, wanting to make sure everyone thought he was having the best time, even if it meant missing out on the real fun.
Question: Why do you think Abhi is so focused on getting the perfect picture? How might this affect his friendships and enjoyment of the day?
As the day went on, Abhi kept checking his phone, waiting for notifications to roll in. When the likes and comments didn’t come as quickly as he hoped, he started to feel anxious. Instead of joining his friends in playing games or talking, he sat off to the side, scrolling through his feed and comparing his pictures to those of other people.
Abhi noticed that some of his friends had already posted pictures from the park, and they were getting lots of likes. He couldn’t understand why his post wasn’t as popular. He began to feel frustrated and a bit jealous, even though he knew it was silly to feel that way.
By the end of the day, Abhi realized he hadn’t really enjoyed the time with his friends. He had been so caught up in trying to create the perfect image online that he had missed out on the real memories being made. As they were leaving, his friend Oliver pulled him aside.
“Abhi, you seemed really distracted today,” Oliver said. “You didn’t even play soccer with us. Is everything okay?”
Abhi sighed, realizing how much he had let his desire for online approval take over. “I was just trying to get the perfect picture, but I guess I missed out on the fun,” he admitted.
Question: What do you think Abhi learned from this experience? How might he change his behavior in the future to focus more on real-life experiences?
Oliver nodded. “We don’t need perfect pictures to have a good time. The best memories don’t always look perfect online, but they’re real,” he said.
Abhi smiled, understanding what Oliver meant. He realized that his lust for approval and attention on social media had taken away from his real-life happiness. From that day on, Abhi decided to be more present in the moment. He still enjoyed taking pictures, but he learned to put his phone down and focus on the experiences and the people around him, rather than just trying to impress others online.
Moral: The lust for approval and perfection, especially on social media, can distract us from enjoying real-life experiences and connecting with the people who matter. True happiness comes from being present and appreciating the moments that make up our lives, not just from how others perceive us.