And, if I am being real, there are times when I post to social media about an issue or injustice when I should be doing something to correct it instead. There are times I comment on an issue when I have no real desire to act on it. This is a danger of social media. It lulls you into believing that talking about an issue and acting on it are equals.
Let’s not be people who huddle in our virtual world to talk about the corruption in our cities, the injustices in our country, and the brokenness in our world, but never close the computer to act on them.
Let’s not discuss issues in a virtual world but never close the screen to act on them.
Before you post, ask if your time would be better spent acting on the words instead of writing them?
4.) AM I ALLOWING SOCIAL MEDIA TO CREATE (OR AMPLIFY) FRUSTRATION?
Growing up, I had a bad temper. Yes, I fit the redhead stereotype. And, in many ways, I am so thankful social media wasn’t around in my high school and early college years. No telling how many anger bombs I would have thrown at the world.
But there are hotheads and people filled with discontent who must deal with the reality I never had to. With the click of a button, you could post something that forever changes your life or the life of someone else.
So, here’s a general rule: stay away from social media if you are discontent, frustrated, or upset. Social media only amplifies these problems. And, to be honest, social media often creates them. There have been occasions when a great day became a sucky one because I saw a cynical comment or an uninformed rant. Social media can be a great tool, but it is not a tool for cultivating gratitude and contentment.
If life has you feeling discontent or upset for any reason, put the phone down. Get alone with God. Let the creator of gratitude (and all good things) renew your spirit.
5.) WILL THIS POST ADD SOMETHING TO THE CONVERSATION?
Do you have a right to comment on every post? Absolutely. This is “‘Merica.” Should you comment on every post? The Apostle Paul gives us the answer.
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.1 Corinthians 10:23
So, before you post that comment or picture for the world, ask yourself, “Is this beneficial?” Or more specifically, “Will this glorify God?”
How different would the social media landscape look if only beneficial posts were allowed?
How radically different would the social media landscape look if only beneficial posts were allowed? What if every submit or tweet button was followed by a screen asking you to confirm that the post you are about to publish is beneficial? How different might our culture look? How many reputations would still be intact? How many arguments would be avoided?
Before you post, ask yourself this question: “Is this beneficial?” If you can’t answer yes, it’s probably best to scrap the post.
6.) WILL THIS POST GLORIFY GOD?
This is the trump card. Or question. As Christians, we have a higher standard. We are set apart. So, before you post something to social media, ask yourself honestly, Will this post glorify God?
Will my words reflect my Savior? Will this picture point people to God? Is this truth?
And the final question is most important. Let’s be real. Not everything you post on social media is explicitly about God. Nor does it have to be. Should we post Bible verses and direct references to God? Absolutely. But anything that reflects truth, love, and purity can reflect God. A picture with some friends isn’t explicitly about God, but it reflects a truth about God’s character…he values relationships and community. On the other hand, a rant about Obama’s foreign policies or competence as President doesn’t reflect much truth.
Everything we say and do must bring glory to God, including our posts on social media.
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Social media has changed the game. And even though we must get in the game, let’s not enter the game without guidelines. Games without guidelines create chaos. And someone usually ends up getting hurt.
With a few guidelines, however, social media can be an incredibly useful tool for everything from growing your relationships to enhancing your business.
Let’s litter social media with words and pictures that make the world a better place and show others the glory of God.
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This article originally appeared at FrankPowell.me.
