Some things we need to Quit on Facebook in 2017′
I have really enjoyed the advent of social media and especially Facebook. I travel thousands and thousands of miles a year to places like Africa, Australia, Europe, South America, etc. By means of Facebook I am able to stay connected to the people that I meet “personally” when I travel. I’ve also through Facebook been united with family members in the areas of my travel. I have connected with them and some for the first time. Thank God for Facebook.
In one of my recent journeys I had the privilege of sitting down with some Facebook users, mostly young people and they wanted to thank me for “Putting some stuff out here that makes them think”. They said we need to have more “seasoned pastors” that would use social media to post some balanced stuff that would challenge them to live right, to know the Lord and to use Facebook for the right reasons.
In our little gathering they pledged to be more mindful as to what they would post in the upcoming year. So, we started talking about some of the things that “saved” folk should not do or “Quit” doing on Facebook in the coming year of 2017.
So, here is a list of some things we discussed that “Christian” Facebook users CANNOT take into the year 2017. Social media has got to be used by “saints” to represent the kingdom properly. It should be used by “saints” for the original use of the founders of Facebook for sure. But we ought to additionally use it to build up the body and to edify one another.
Here are some of the things that they noticed from saints on Facebook. Keep in mind, many of these young folk where not strong Christians but they were believers.
#1 We need to stop Throwing Shade: (Throwing shade means to
publicly trash or disrespect somebody on the sly but it’s obvious
to everyone that you’re talking about “one” individual.) Usually,
saints do it when someone won’t let them have their way or they
are jealous of the success of someone else.
John 13:35
35 This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples — when they see the love you have for each other.”
#2 We need to stop debating sensitive spiritual issues for the
unsaved to chime in on, making it appear that the body is
divided and unsure of what we believe as followers of God.
(We shouldn’t air our grievances and our own lack of understanding
for all to see.)
#3 We need to stop being more passionate about our political
views than we are about our biblical views.
(The church is not democrat or republican, it is the body of Christ). We have a King. We shouldn’t have to bash elected officials.
#4 We need to quit expecting “likes” from folk who are suppose to
“hate” you. We need stop adding friends who we don’t know
and then endorsing stuff and posting stuff on their
lines that you don’t even believe yourself. (Just to keep them
as friends.)
Jesus said that the world would hate you anyhow.
#5 We need to quit gossiping in the name of praying for somebody. “Yall need to pray for “so and so’s marriage”. “Pray saints I hear that they are going through something. I don’t know.”
#6. We need to quit putting our personal sin out on social media in
the name of trying to help somebody else. We need to stop
trying to sound repentant in a post and go somewhere and find
an altar and get it right in private.
PS. Instead posting a deep quote we should live the quote first.
#7 We need to quit disrespecting established leaders and tenured
spiritual authority by posting pics from our new church
home without ever letting the old church home know you’ve
“moved on”.
Personally, I’ve had people who use to call me dad that don’t even call me “no more.” (No shade intended.)
#8 We need to quit trying to explain and discuss “tough” biblical
doctrines with anonymous people online. This simply convolutes
things even more by erroneous rhetoric from people who
shouldn’t even be trying to teach.
#9 We need to quit posting “sexy” or revealing pictures for the
world to see and stop getting mad when somebody tells you
that you had too much showing or that the pic was not
appropriate for all ages.
(Especially, posting pics from the “bathroom”.)
#10 We need to quit Re-tweeting ourselves, re-quoting ourselves,
and self-promoting ourselves for the purpose of glorifying
ourselves.
(We need to stop asking for shares and re-tweets of plagiarized
quotes to make us sound smart, when we’re actually struggling
with our own identity and have a need to be accepted and liked.)
#11 We need to quit daring people to un-friend us if they don’t
agree with us or support a cause that we don’t agree with.
#12 We just need to quit using Facebook as “saints” for ulterior
motives. We need to stop hiding behind a computer screen
or mobile device and feeling ourselves and we need to spend
a little more time in the presence of God and feeling Him. We
are going to need the Lord more in 2017′ than we’ve ever
needed him before.
Live a life that reflects the nature and the character of God. You don’t have to make folk think you are when you’re not. “Study to be quiet.” “Be quit to listen and slow to speak.”
The founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg didn’t have this in mind. He said this, “We made the site so that all of our members could be a part of smaller networks like schools, companies or regions. It is designed so you can only see the profiles of people who are in your networks and who are your friends. We did this to make sure you could share information with the people you care about.”
If we don’t care about the people that read our posts, blogs, comments or view our daily activities then we shouldn’t post at all.
Let’s stop some of the madness going into 2017′ and be better representatives of the kingdom. If you’re not “all that” then don’t pretend to be. If you are “all that” then let someone say so. (And then you don’t believe it.)
Happy New Year and lets take some of this to heart. “I share because I care.”
—Vaughn McLaughlin