What Your Facebook Account Says About You

Social media. Where do I start?

As with most things in this life, there are pros & cons for this avenue of communication. This list can seem to be a mile long depending on your source. Much good can be done for the cause of Christ by spreading His word using these mediums; and to those doing so, I say a heart-felt thank you. I gain much good from reading a great many of my friends' posts that have a Biblical focus and you're a great encouragement to me daily. Aside from this obviously good use of social media, here's one pro and one con from a social standpoint for Facebook:

Pro:

It's amusing to me how in person an individual can be ever so shy, but give them a Facebook account & suddenly they come alive & fill the world with goodness & insights that others never knew they had. This can be good depending upon what they choose to say and it's a good outlet for those who are socially uncomfortable in other settings.

Con:

On the other hand, it's disheartening when you learn more about a person than you wish to know. There are pictures and posts that I wish I had never of seen (especially of my brethren). 

When you take into consideration all of the various pictures, notes, status updates, comments, likes, about section, & other information freely handed out within social media, it can also be easy to grow cynical about the outlet itself. Kinda like when people post nothing but food pictures. [Begin example of cynicism] Really, who cares what you ate just now? No, wait...scratch that, you just received 2 likes on your food picture. Apparently there are people out there that do care what others have to eat on a daily basis...really? Wow, what has our society come to now? People actually "like" you posting this? Hm. Congratulations we all envy your food, thanks for the pictures...aaand now I'm hungry again. Nice! [End example of cynicism] See what I mean? Cynical. Easy :-) 

But that's not what this post is about.

The reason for me writing this post is because of the fact that I am growing increasingly concerned when I see the poor example among some - most especially my brothers & sisters in Christ - with regard to their Facebook habits. Anywhere from the relationship status of married people set to "It's Complicated"; to the dirty laundry of one's life being aired to any and all who will care to click and read more; to individuals showing everyone how much they can be like the world than like Christ; to promoting principles contrary to the word of God. This type of conduct is disgraceful to the Lord and it is personally offensive to me as a follower of Christ. 

Sadly, for some, social media has become an outlet for: 

spouting ignorance, slander, & gossip; envy; lying; divisiveness; covetousness; growing depressed at the supposed happiness of other people; filling one's mind with filth; feeding one's ego and building up of pride; garnering attention; becoming a busybody; and such like (1Pet.4:15; Gal.5:19-21; Prov.16:18; 1Tim.5:13; 2Thess.3:11).

For these individuals, social media has ceased to be the goodhearted social outlet it's intended to be and is now about how much drama I can post in a 24 hour period. Rather than keeping bonds strong, spreading God's word, encouraging one another, and being a light in this dark world, some have opted to use this outlet for becoming a reproach to God. Friends, to call yourself a Christian - a follower of Christ - when your conduct online suggests everything to the contrary, is a slap in the face to the One who died to call you out of the world. You should be ashamed if you're guilty of this type of conduct and I would to God that those engaged in such will have the time afforded them to repent before it is too late. May we all evaluate our online conduct seriously, and if there be anything lacking in this area of our lives let's get busy correcting it.

Might I pause here in order to make an honest suggestion with the serious intent to provoke us to be who we need to be as God's children: 

Brethren, with regard to your social media habits, GROW UP (Heb.5:12-14; Eph.4:14-32)! 
Remember that we're children of God and God expects us to conduct ourselves as such. If you're guilty of any that has been mentioned, then stop it. Please, for the sake of your soul and the souls of others, stop it. 

The question in this post is: What are you, as a Christian, putting on display for the world to see?

Seriously consider what your Facebook account says about you. Because, whether you want to believe it or not, it most certainly is saying something. Honestly assess the following: Are you a reflection of Christ or a reproach upon His holy name?

The harsh reality is that many people - some Christians in specific - cannot handle the responsibility that goes along with social media; they simply misuse it and abuse it. The solution is, in most cases, to learn to use it responsibly and properly and here's how to do that: be an outlet for good. In other cases, the solution may actually be to deactivate the account entirely. However, since we're talking about sin being at the root of the problem, deleting a Facebook account won't fix the sin problem. The solution is to correct our lives, my friends. What we do, with the tool of social media, matters.

Am I saying that we need to strictly post Bible verses and nothing else? There's nothing wrong with that but, no, that's not what I'm saying here. What I am saying is that what we choose to post, "like", comment on, give our consent to, etc. needs to be a living testimony to the application of God's word in our daily lives and it needs to agree with what we call ourselves, Christians (1Pet.4:1-11).  

Please remember that Facebook is public. Just because we're behind a screen doesn't change the fact that others can see it. We have a responsibility to serve as lights to this dark world of sin, not try and see how dim we can become so we blend in (Matt.5:14-16).

Some points to ponder:

When people look at your page, what do they see? 

What impression do others come away with about you and what you claim to be? 

Do they have a reason to ask of the hope within you, or would they be shocked to learn that you claim to be a follower of Christ (1Pet.3:15)? 

Who are you really serving, God or satan (Matt.6:24; Jms.4:7; 1Jn.3:7-10)? 

If you're a Christian, then you are a vessel to spread the saving word of Christ to the world, are you fulfilling your role with the tools at your disposal (Matt.28:18-20)? Let's all, please, soberly consider these things wherever we may be (online or otherwise).

Thanks for dropping in.