Likes, Hearts, Followers, and YOU!
In a world where likes, hearts, followers and shares seem to drive us has anyone considered how God feels about this? Did God create all of this for EVERYTHING to be shown on it? I remember growing up with limited social media access. I only had myspace, tagged, and twitter; I don't remember anyone my age having Facebook (I didn't get one until College) and Instagram didn't come on the scene until after I graduated high school. Now, I'm not saying that we didn't put stuff on there, but I can say that we did with discretion. Yes, I'm talking about that again because I'm afraid if we don't make wise decisions about what we show that it can harm us.
So, what is discretion? According to the Cambridge dictionary, it's the right to choose something or choose to do something, according to what seems most suitable in a particular situation. The thing that stood out to me the most in the whole definition was....WHAT SEEMS MOST SUITABLE in a particular situation. And my reason is that yes, we have free will, God gave us that for sure, but just because he gave us that doesn't mean any and everything goes. We are held accountable for our actions, speech, and thoughts. Let's take a look at 1 Corinthians 6:12MSG It says,
"Just because something is technically legal doesn't mean that it's spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I'd be a slave to my whims."
Reading this lets me know that just because I have the freedom to do it, doesn't mean its naturally or spiritually beneficial to me. Let's take social media for example, just because I can put whatever I want on there…. Should I? My answer would be NO because the goal of everything is to give God glory, I am a believer and somethings I just shouldn't be doing when I professed Jesus as the head of my life, you never know who is watching, and I don't want to embarrass those I'm accountable too. Now listen, I'm not saying that Christians are boring robots that can't have fun, but I am saying that we have to do a better job of how we represent Christ to a lost world.
Discretion keeps us safe because we NEVER want our good to be negatively spoken of (Romans 14:16). There's a time and a place for everything and we have to be very wise in our decisions to advertise. The internet shows a very BROAD view of who/ what we are. So, If we are happy today and sad tomorrow and that's a consistent trend they see…can we blame them for saying we're crazy? Or if we are Jesus, Jesus, Jesus I love and serve you today and party, sex, and trap music tomorrow… are they wrong for not believing us when we try to witness?
Fam, We are in control of what we let the world see. We don't have to live to please a target audience or make people think we are this and that by showing any and everything. Use discretion! Make the wise responsible decision based on whats's suitable for every situation and If you don't know what's suitable ASK HOLY SPIRIT, that's why he's there to lead and guide us into all truth.