IRONY ALERT:
This blog deals with social media and the Christian lifestyle. Ironically, I am likely to be sharing
this blog via social media and in some respects am doing many of the things I
discuss here. It only goes to show
you exactly how difficult this issue can be and how fine the line is that we have to walk
with it.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the appropriate use of
social media for a Christian.
Exactly how ought a Christian to conduct him/herself in the online world
and what exactly is appropriate for a Christian when it comes to social
media? Now before I even get
started, I have to ask myself how I have been using social media myself – you
know, examining the plank in my eye before saying anything about the spec in
yours. So, after a quick review of
my “timeline” over the last few weeks I discovered I generally use social media
as follows:
- I have cheered on my favorite football team (Roll Tide)
- I posted information promoting the non-profit that I am involved with, Designs for Hope
- I posted pictures of my recent weekend vacation to the beach with some friends
- I “shared” some blogs and articles that I had read
- I “tweeted” some inspirational thoughts and/or re-tweeted inspirational thoughts of others
- I published and shared my blogs, most of which are devotional and/or introspective
- I asked some introspective spiritual questions (didn’t get too many responses to my questions, though)
- I tweeted about a popsicle I ate (really?)
- I shared some videos my son made on his YouTube channel
- I wished my wife Happy Anniversary and a few “friends” Happy Birthday
- I promoted one or the other of the two books I have written in some way (posting a quote from the book, etc.)
That actually sounds about right. Some of the content or the purposes may vary, but that’s a
good representation of my social media life. The thing is, when I do my “obligatory” daily “scroll” I
find a few other uses:
- Parents living vicariously through their children buy posting their exploits online (hey, I’m a proud parent too – I get it)
- The online sharing of one’s free-flowing thoughts about the game, event, or TV show they happen to be watching at the time
- Lots of picture about what people either ate – or want to eat
- Plenty of advertising one’s personal cause (hey, I do that with my non-profit and with my book)
- Vanity pictures (ummm… if you are over 16 and/or not a girl, please don’t post a selfie – its embarrassing for you)
- Bully pulpiting
- Complaining
- Posting about some random things people are doing or are about to do
In addition, I have to think about what I am looking for
when I log in and begin my daily scroll.
Am I looking for some good gossip?
Am I looking to keep up with and communicate with people I don’t get to
see every day? Am I looking for a
good article to read? Am I a social stalker (always looking but never
communicating)? Or am I just
addicted to the scroll and don’t really care what I see, so long as I get my
fill of information?
The question is: how much of this is really
appropriate? In many respects,
there is nothing intrinsically wrong with social media and there is a good deal
of positive that can come from its use.
Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Some people either don’t think or don’t care about the
implications or the impact of their online conduct. Some see it as a way to validate their own
insecurities. If they can post
something unique or dramatic or shocking enough to get a long list of “likes”
or comments then somehow that makes them feel better.
At the end of the day, whether or not any particular online
activity is appropriate or not depends upon one’s heart. In Mark 7, Jesus reminds us that what
makes anything we do good or evil depends upon our hearts.
Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come
evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting,
wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these
evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
These words apply directly to our online conduct. When our online conduct is motivated by
those things which Jesus says are within our hearts AND are evil, then such
conduct is sinful and inappropriate.
Are we being prideful? Are
you angry? Be careful, because an
angry post can easily become slanderous.
Are we being deceitful or envious?
Maybe you just want a platform to complain or to preach from your
favorite soap box. Scripture is very
clear that complaining is a sin and there are a lot of folks out there whining
and complaining on social media.
Or perhaps we are just being foolish – yes, foolishness is evil – that
is (according to the meaning of the original Greek) knowing what is good or
smart and foolishly ignoring your own brain’s instructions.
Granted I think there can be a very fine line between
appropriate and inappropriate. Are
my picture posts of Patty and me at the beach last weekend vain and prideful or
just a courteous way to share with our friends about something we enjoyed? It
can be a tough question to answer.
If I were to try to lay out some guidelines for a Christian in how to
conduct themselves on social media, I think I would have the suggestions listed
below – most of which are prohibitions on certain types of uses. It may seem like I am being legalistic
about this; but when you think about it, the suggestions are mainly just common
sense.
Don’t post angry.
Scripture warns us against being angry or doing anything rash when we
are angry. There is a good reason
for this because where anger exists, sin is not far behind. If you find yourself drafting a social
media post while you are angry, stop, take a moment to catch your breath, and
then walk away. Give yourself the
time to calm down. Perhaps you
won’t want to make the post then and it will certainly save you some regret
later on.
Don’t complain. Complaining is a sin. Period. We all (myself included) need to work
on being more joyful and complaining less. Social Media is more than just a passing verbal
complaint. You are putting it in
writing. Just don’t do it.
Don’t bully pulpit.
Once again, there is a fine line between expressing one’s views and
trying to push an agenda across the social media platform. When the issues are politics or
personal pet peeves or the like, I can easily suggest steering away from
it. However, it is harder when we
get to spiritual things. By nature
as evangelicals, we believe we should be sharing the message of salvation
through any means we can. Some can
interpret our use of social media to spread the gospel as engaging the bully
pulpit – especially if you have been engaging the bully pulpit for all your
other causes as well. If we steer
away from using social media as a bully pulpit for other reasons, the online
world will probably give us some measure of grace on the spiritual things. I wrote a blog a while back on this very subject of sharing the gospel with social media. You can read that at "The Gospel in 140 Characters".
Don’t be vain.
Again, the line is very thin between being “social” and being vain. However, I think you and I both know
when we are posting something for prideful or vainglorious purposes. Remember that 1 Corinthians 10:31 says
to do everything for God’s glory – not for our glory. If you hesitate to post something because there’s something
in the back of your mind telling you “this is vain,” – don’t post, because that
is your conscious guiding you to purity.
Don’t get your validation from the online community. Our self worth is found in the fact
that we have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ and adopted as children
of God. We don’t need
eleventy-seven “likes” to validate our self-image. We don’t need to look to Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or
whatever other social platform to get our self worth. We just need to look to Jesus.
Don’t waste the time you have been given. This may very well be the most
dangerous of all of the inappropriate social media habits. Exactly how much time are you wasting
in your daily scroll? The worst
part is, the more “friends” we have, the longer we tend to spend perusing
statuses. After all, we don’t want
to miss anything “important,” right?
Think about it this way. We
have been entrusted with a precious gift from the master – our time. We will be held accountable for how we
use that gift and if we are not good stewards it, we will have to answer to the
master (see Matthew 25, Luke 19, and 2 Thessalonians 3). Spend the time instead in God’s Word or
in prayer or in doing good.
These are just a few guidelines I thought about – thoughts I
had for myself more than anything else, but perhaps they can help you as
well. You may have other thoughts
on the subject. I would certainly like to hear them. Please comment here - or - on my social media link to this blog... Of course by asking, I realize that I am encouraging your
use of social media. Oh, the irony.
No comments:
Post a Comment