Moving Forward in Social Media

I originally wrote this for another blog I was working on, but have decided to put said blog on hold for the time being. I still liked the post though, and decided to share it here! Enjoy...

I once heard someone say that nobody can escape or outrun their past anymore due to social media, and really, the internet in general, and I suppose that's ultimately true.

The Huffington Post posted this article back in October, and people have been warning us younglings to be careful what we post for as long as I can remember having an account. I even hear tell that no matter what you post - pictures, text, etc. - it will always exist somewhere in the World Wide Web, even if you delete it, and I believe it.

I've been using social media for quite some time. I remember when MySpace was more popular than Facebook. I also remember being among the first generation of Facebook users, starting my account in 2006 when you couldn't use it unless you had a college email. I also got Twitter in 2006 and remember when barely any of my friends had one. Goodness, I've even been texting since 2005 when I got my very first T-9 flip phone!

And don't even get me started on emails and various accounts and blogging and all the rest. I've been starting and stopping blogs since I don't even know when. I've literally littered the blogosphere. The whole internet, really.

And I'll be honest: I'm not the most innocent poster, either. I've done it all, from being a hypocrite to bashing politics, to being argumentative and controversial, to being too serious, to being mean and negative. I've been immature and posted obnoxiously opinionated opinions that I don't even hold anymore, on either side of the fence. I've lied, manipulated, over-shared, flip-flopped around based on whatever phase of life I was in, and heck...I've even sexted before.

But I've also been encouraging. And kind. And funny. And joyful. And honest. And helpful. And worshipful. And challenging, and I've been challenged too.

Simply put, I've grown up a little bit.

I've grown up in my walk with God and in my Christian worldview, in my use of technology, my motivations and my age. And while age isn't necessarily considered an indicator of maturity anymore, I still think growing up holds some weight, and I still believe that people are allowed to change...at least in my book they are.

And in His.

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 

(Philippians 3:12-14, NLT)

So yes, be careful with what you post because it is there forever. But remember that in the grand scheme of all of creation and existence and eternity, what you posted on Facebook at 19 years old is not an indicator of who you are now or how God sees you.

Remember that in Christ, old things have passed away and all things are made new. If you are yielded to Him, God will make a way for you where there is no way. Repent for past social media failures, and make necessary changes where you need to make them. If you slip up and make another posting blunder, delete it and apologize. Acknowledge your mistakes, but keep moving forward. Keep going. Don't let your past - in any capacity, social media or otherwise - dictate your future for one more moment.

Life is short, and there's a purpose for yours.

My Opinion Doesn't Matter...

...and if you're a Christian, yours doesn't really either.

It may come as a surprise, but it's the truth.

I'm not saying we can't have opinions on certain things. For example, my opinion on neon orange is that it doesn't look good on me. See? An opinion that's pretty nonchalant and doesn't really call much attention to itself. It's just...an opinion.

But so often, people (myself included) get this idea in their head that their opinion on certain things actually matters in the grand scheme of all existence and that their opinion is so awesomely correct that it deserves to be acknowledged simply in the name of free speech (which, in my opinion, doesn't actually exist...but I digress).

I've recently discovered that this isn't true.

Now, I like to talk and I like to be listened to. [My opinion is] I don't actually think that's always a bad thing, but it can lead to negative...stuff. I know for my life, it definitely has. Not world-shattering stuff, but...stuff.

For example, a while back I thought that I actually knew stuff about politics, so I thought (on more than one occasion) that I'd shoot my mouth off about my opinion, only to wind up looking like a bit of a fool. (Funny, I think I read about that somewhere...Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. - Prov. 17:28)

I've also been guilty of subconsciously feeling as though I "knew it all," and therefore acted like a "Know-It-All." (Hmmm, that sounds familiar too...We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. - 1 Cor. 8:1-2)

A while back, I chose to only be positive on my Facebook. I wanted to keep it simple and focused on Jesus. Yes, I post pictures of what my husband and I are up to and so on and so forth. But I purpose to preach the gospel to every creature, Christians included, and Facebook is a great way to do that. I've recently given into the temptation to be opinionated recently though, and I've been pretty passive-aggressive about it.

Warning: Honesty Ahead

I'll share articles others have written as a way to sneak my opinion on a topic in without having to say it myself because "I've chosen to use Facebook on purpose to encourage others and share the love of Christ." And in showing such evident Christ-like love, I've even posted some of those articles with specific people in mind that I want to read said article. Why? Sure, there was a part of me that wanted them to think about changing their minds, or even just wanted them to be open-minded enough to understand why we Christians believe the way we do, but it really all came down to two things: A) I wanted the people to know that I was right and that they were wrong, and B) I wanted to share my opinion, in whatever way I could, simply because I wasn't sharing it. MY voice wasn't being heard. MY thoughts and ideas and opinions were left alone.

So classy. So full of love. So humble.

You know what all of that was? PRIDE. Gross, disgusting, nauseating, evil, sin-producing PRIDE. And that's what wanting to share our opinions always is, isn't it?

It's just pride.

We want to be heard. We don't want to admit we're wrong. We want to be agreed with. We want people on our side. We want to defend ourselves or what we believe or what we like or what we want. We want to be right. We want it to be all about us.

But it's not about us, Christians.

It's never been about us. It never has been, and it never will.

If you are a Christian, it's about HIM. It always was, is and forever will be. HIS plan. HIS purpose. HIS people.

My opinion should be HIS opinion. HIS "opinion" is His Word. It's the Bible. That's what we should be basing all of our "big" opinions on. And when we're caught in the middle of an opinion war, we need to always bring it back to HIS opinion...HIS word...HIS truth.

And yes, I know that nonbelievers don't always get why we trust the Bible so much, and I know that it can be frustrating, but God's Word doesn't need defending. (Not to mention, the only reason you're frustrated is probably because of pride anyway, and it has nothing to do with wanting to defend God.) But just in case it does, God doesn't need defending. His Word won't return void. His Word stands the test of time. His Word IS absolute Truth (not an opinion), and we can share what the Bible says and still walk in love. I promise, it's possible!

And I'm not saying we can't be outspoken or bold in what the Word says; by all means, do, be and say. But be bold in love, and check yourself. (I'm still learning how to do this, too!) What's your motive? Are you being led by the Spirit, or by your own flesh and pride? Do you want to glorify Him or yourself? Do you want to point people to TRUTH, or do you want people to "know you're right?"

When someone "wins" an argument or a debate, often times, both people lose. I can't speak for all Christians, but I know my motivation in several past theological debates I've had (and, in my opinion, there's a difference between a heated debate and a healthy discussion - I rarely regret healthy discussions, but I digress) was to get the other person to lose face. My thinking was that if they lost face and had nothing to say, even if they were angry, they'd realize their error and come to the truth of Christ. It was also because I wanted them to know they were wrong. (And...in all honesty...wanting them to come to the knowledge of the Truth often took a backseat to wanting them to know I was right.)

But I can also honestly say I've repented before the Lord for this pride, and I'm not living in those past failures, no matter how recent they may have been. I'm reminded everyday that it's not about me or what I think or about what people have done or said to me, or vice versa. It's about Him and what He said. It's about pressing forward. It's about getting HIS message of LOVE out to a lost and dying world.

Ask yourself these questions, Christ-Follower:

What message am I sending to people?

Is it about me? What I know? What I do? How I'm right? What I think about this or that?

Or do I bring people His message? Do I glorify Jesus? Do I point to Jesus? Does my life produce His fruit? Do my actions, words and thoughts look like His?

Am I living for me, or am I living on purpose for Him?

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 

(1 Corinthians 2:1-5)