The other day I figured I'd change my profile pic on Facebook. I don't often do that (and now will do it less often, lol!) The prior picture was one I love, but I just felt a more current and accurate representation was needed. At any rate, I thought I'd make the switch late, late at night so that it could be sneaked in and nobody would notice. Wrong. There followed a flood of sweet, kind comments, which (since I'm uncomfortable with praise anyhow) I found a bit embarrassing. I tried to respond with grace. I say again, "You'll see that profile pic for a good while."
I mention this because it was what would be to most folks a "positive" social media experience. Most likely, you have had some negative ones.
People use social media for several reasons, some of which are:
1. To combat isolation. Most people need interaction of some form with other people. Social media allows them to "keep up with" a wide circle of friends and acquaintances with a few clicks. It's been described as "an online cocktail party". Your friends give you whatever snapshots of their lives they want you to see.
2. For business. Many use social media to attract customers.
3. To get help. The online yard sales, requests for a good plumber, "have you seen my dog", "that smell you smell over on Ranger Road" . . .
4. To promote a world view or make a political statement.
5. To create havoc. In this category, I put hackers and their ilk.
It is almost as if the Apostle Paul foresaw the day of social media.The truth, though, is he deeply understood the carnal human nature. Technology is merely a tool, an outlet, after all. Negative interactions between people have been around since the Garden of Eden. Social media is merely the latest avenue for people to reveal their character, for good or for bad.
In Titus 3:1-2 (ESV) , we read:
1Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.
Interestingly, Paul pairs these two verses together. I reckon it has always been fashionable to criticize those in authority over us, whether the one true God, parents and other family members, work bosses, or elected officials. Human beings are, at the core of their natures, rebellious. But, going beyond that, it is hard for many of us to accept the "rule" of a grossly imperfect person. The letter to Titus is not the only place Paul mentions this. (See Romans 13:1.) And, of course, Jesus gave a beautiful illustration of this command in the gospel of Matthew (22:22).
Today, for example, many people have seemingly lost their minds over the election of President Trump. And, in the presidential election before that one, an entirely different group of people were grossly disappointed in the election of Trump's predecessor. Regardless of what your opinion of either, it is crystal clear that God appointed each of them to those positions of power, because nothing happens on this earth without His knowledge and permission. It is for this reason we are told in verse 1 to obey our government while doing "good work" to create the most civil and moral society possible, and, in so doing, to keep our criticism civil, avoid pointless quarrels and to season our interactions with gentleness and courtesy. Gentleness and courtesy....yeah, that describes Twitter.
One of the more recent manifestations of incivility on social media involves trolls. Trolls are people who make it their prime directive to disrupt the direction of a post, a trend or a conversation, usually in a hateful manner. A common adage is "don't feed the trolls". In other words, when someone makes a hateful comment on a post or a hateful tweet, don't respond. Any attention you give to that only widens its audience. This is a modern-day form of "quarreling" and "pointless arguments" (Titus 3:9). Honest, sincere dialogue can be helpful and beneficial, but not uncivil conversations. They cheapen the name of the Savior whom Christians claim to represent. Paul even foresaw "blocking" and "unfriending"!
10As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,
Then, in Titus 3:3-9 (ESV) Paul reminds us WHY we should treat with courtesy those behaving nastily. "At one time, we too...." (NIV) It is easy, as we move deeper into relationship with our Lord, to fall prey to the sin of pride. This happens because we forget where we came from - - that place of total lostness, spiritually dead in our sinful state. It is when we forget, that we view others who are dead to Christ Jesus with contempt or even downright hatred. This is not the way of Jesus. This is not the way of the cross. Paul exhorts us to remember....
3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.
Paul emphasizes that we, Believers, did not "turn ourselves around". We did not become regenerate, eternally-redeemed souls through our own "good works" or taking the correct position, or making the correct argument, or even through "making good choices". No. We are redeemed because of God's goodness, His mercy, His lovingkindness. HE did the washing of our souls. HE renewed us by placing His Holy Spirit into our hearts. He. He. He. Not, we.we.we.
As Believers, those whose souls have been eternally transformed, we perform good works in response to what God has done, because of what He has done, as a result of what He has done. And, we are to insist that this message, this Gospel of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ's finished work, be manifested in our behavior, both speech and actions....whether on social media, or on the ball field, or in the workplace, or in our family interactions (often the most difficult place).
The most potent weapon to keep ourselves headed in the right direction is filling our minds and spirits with the Word of God. The pagan world surrounding us continually seeks to draw us away from the godly walk of faith. To avoid conformity to the ungodliness around us, we must deliberately take steps of nonconformity. In this way, we represent Jesus well.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
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