In today’s world we are confronted with so much social media. Hardly a day goes by without any of us Liking a post, Following someone on twitter or Loving something on Instagram. It’s become part of who we are. We spend more time on our smart devices than we do with each other. I once saw a sign outside a family run coffee shop and it read “No free Wi-Fi, we rather you talk to one another”. How true is that for us? We live in that society where it is easier to interrupt a moment with a loved one and take a pic to post on Instagram, or to check-in and tweet. Some of this behaviour steals away from the intimacy of a relationship between a husband and his wife, or a child and their parent. We are sharing our lives with the world. I wonder how you would feel if you were 2 years old and your mom was forcing you to walk / eat or swim so they can take a video and share it on a social network. What have we become?
What is worse about our tendencies to share on social media is that we look for the best moments, the best pictures, ‘The’ right tweets and present these to the world. At times, not always, it is a complete fabrication of the truth. Have you ever thought that when you check into a place, someone can pick that up, and go burgle your house? A college of mine checks into Virgin Active every day, but never goes into the gym. She scans the card at the turnstile, checks in and walks right out. I know, I know. But she does this for two reasons – people can see she is a gym (lifestyle) person and the other part is that so she does not lose her Vitality discount.
But I guess all of this is in line with today’s world, where to be accepted you have to be a certain person, do certain things, have certain things and be seen in certain places. All this to fit in with the world, or at least measure up to the view that world expects me to have and be. And as Christians, we tend to bring this behaviour to how we relate to one another in the community of believers and how we view the gospel. It is all instant gratification. We don’t Like, Follow or Love the parts of the bible that don’t appeal to us. We Love and repost Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” but we never repost Ephesians 2:1 -2 “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. “We Follow certain teaching in the bible. We gladly Follow certain teachings in the bible” Ask, and you shall receive”, but when told “you shall not serve both God and money”, we don’t Follow that teaching. At times I wonder about myself and how I approach my faith in this way. It disturbs me the outcomes that I have when I think about it.
I flip the script and ask myself two questions:
• Of the things I post, tweet /retweet and update, would Jesus Christ Like, Love and Follow? Or would he look at me and wonder where my priorities lie.
• And I ask myself, if Christ had an Instagram, Twitter or Facebook account, would I Like, Love and Follow him – even the hard parts.
Like – people like our posts / check-ins on Facebook and that gives us self-gratification and a sense of belonging, because we long for it. Remember Christ Likes you very much – that is all the like you need. He accepts you for who you are, not because of where you go or what you look like. The only thumbs up that should concern you is his.
Love – we look for love in many places and often the cheap, quick love is the social love. Don’t fool yourself, love that comes easy does not last. Christ loves you beyond a tap on a screen and he proved it on the cross. He is and gives you all the love you need.
Follow – we follow so many people in life and we love it when people follow us. Don’t fool yourself, only Christ is worth following.
I hope you think about it a bit more and are encouraged by these words Romans 12:2 ” Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will”.
Be more Christ like in everything you do, especially when you approach social media.
Regards….
Irvine R.
