The irony of posting this has not escaped me. For several months I've been considering the application of Biblical principles to online behavior. While I don't think an online presence or a social media account is a sin, I do want to be more thoughtful in how I use online mediums. My interpretation of Matthew 6:1-4 reflects that intention.
If you want to be like the Father, be more concerned with His presence in your heart than your presence on social media. When you proclaim your good deeds online, you miss the opportunity to develop an intimate, thirst-quenching relationship with the Father.
You can check in on Facebook to let the world know you're visiting someone at the hospital. You can post Instagram photos while you're feeding the homeless. You can take selfies in front of the church altar. You can tweet Bible verses or pithy quotes from religious leaders. You can even blog an open letter to hypocrites.
But you need to understand that the likes, shares, retweets, and comments you receive will be your only reward. Going viral doesn't bring you closer to the Father or earn you any heavenly privilege. Your online presence does not connect you with His omnipresence.
Avoid creating buzz about yourself. Instead, reclaim secrecy when you're working for Him. Shovel the snow off your neighbor's sidewalk without taking a selfie. Unload the dishwasher without a #selfless tweet. Buy a meal for a homeless person without posting your epiphany. Visit the sick or the elderly without "checking in" so people know where you are. Talk to the person you have a conflict with directly rather than blogging a passive-aggressive open letter.
Spend time with the Father offline. Let Him handle your publicity. Be at peace with whatever strategy He chooses, including obscurity. Focus instead on having an intimate, private relationship with your Creator. His rewards are eternal and bring infinitely more joy than any hashtags, search engine optimizations, page views, or clickable headlines will.
The affirmation you seek cannot be found in an online community. It can only be found by sharing the secrets of your heart with the God who loves and knows you best.
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4, ESV)
If you want to be like the Father, be more concerned with His presence in your heart than your presence on social media. When you proclaim your good deeds online, you miss the opportunity to develop an intimate, thirst-quenching relationship with the Father.
You can check in on Facebook to let the world know you're visiting someone at the hospital. You can post Instagram photos while you're feeding the homeless. You can take selfies in front of the church altar. You can tweet Bible verses or pithy quotes from religious leaders. You can even blog an open letter to hypocrites.
But you need to understand that the likes, shares, retweets, and comments you receive will be your only reward. Going viral doesn't bring you closer to the Father or earn you any heavenly privilege. Your online presence does not connect you with His omnipresence.
Avoid creating buzz about yourself. Instead, reclaim secrecy when you're working for Him. Shovel the snow off your neighbor's sidewalk without taking a selfie. Unload the dishwasher without a #selfless tweet. Buy a meal for a homeless person without posting your epiphany. Visit the sick or the elderly without "checking in" so people know where you are. Talk to the person you have a conflict with directly rather than blogging a passive-aggressive open letter.
Spend time with the Father offline. Let Him handle your publicity. Be at peace with whatever strategy He chooses, including obscurity. Focus instead on having an intimate, private relationship with your Creator. His rewards are eternal and bring infinitely more joy than any hashtags, search engine optimizations, page views, or clickable headlines will.
The affirmation you seek cannot be found in an online community. It can only be found by sharing the secrets of your heart with the God who loves and knows you best.
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4, ESV)