What Should Christians Keep in Mind
When Using Facebook?
"Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."
Psalm 19:12-4
In our last post, we said we wanted to examine the idea of how God expects believers to behave in the age of social media. We saw that God has expectations for how we speak, but it doesn't end there. Our text passage says that the meditation of our hearts, should be acceptable in the sight of God. This means the things that we take to heart, so as to more deeply consider them, should meet God's approval. This is such a significant point, in the age of social media, because many believers spend hours each day scrolling through Facebook. You are constantly taking in information, and most are taking in more than they are actually posting themselves, on various social media platforms.
"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."
Proverbs 4:20-27
God commands us to take special care of how we protect our hearts. Warning that the heart directly affects the rest of who we are, and what we do. We are given two steps necessary for ensuring the health, and well being of our hearts. The first is to keep God's Word in our heats, as is also instructed in Psalm 119:11. The second is to take care of what we say, what we see, and where we go. As you consider your news feed, and what you're feeding on; realize that these things go straight to the heart. This is why I don't use Instagram for example, because if we are honest it is not healthy to stare at other people's photos all day. Either you will be provoked to lust, to envy, to a critical spirit, or any number of evils that might grow in your heart. This principle applies to every part of your life, and how you take in information, no matter what platform.
"He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word,
and he becometh unfruitful."
Matthew 13:22
God also warns us that being overfed on cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches; chokes out the fruitfulness of God's Word in our lives. Jesus similarly warns in Luke 21:34 about: surfeiting (being overfed), drunkeness, and the cares of this world. He says that being distracted in this way, will keep us from looking and living for, the coming of Jesus Christ. The idea is that if we are full of the things of this world, intoxicated by them, and distracted by them; we choke out God's Word in our hearts. The question then is: is what you are feeding on, in your news feed, distracting you, and keeping you from being fruitful in the Word of God? If so can we really say it is acceptable to God, when it is taking the place of His voice?