Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. – Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)
Most of us have a social media account of some sort. Social media is a great place to make connections with family, friends, and relatives as well as other people who have the same interests as you. We can get into a habit of posting what we feel or think about various issues, but have you ever really thought about what you are posting?
People who post before thinking is a very common occurrence on social media. This can happen for various reasons – we get fired up about a topic or we want to correct some misunderstanding, or we want help others – whatever it is we feel compelled to post something. Posting on a social media site, in a chat room or even on a message board/forum is expressing ourselves in a non-verbal fashion.
When we speak to one another as a Christian, the Bible tells us to make sure that no bad or negative language comes out of our mouths. It reminds us to think before we speak in order that what we say will be edifying and not harmful. Since we know that what we say verbally can hurt or make people angry, why don’t we have trouble applying this to what we are typing on a screen.
Every time you go online to communicate with others, remember that what you are typing you are essentially speaking it. It may be a form of non-verbal communication, but it still affects those who read it. You may see no harm in what you post but it can affect others adversely. For example, if you post things that are always putting down the government, a business or other people, then those who reading it will react. Some people may agree with and hop on your bandwagon. Others may see it as depressing and decided that they want nothing to do with you. Then there will be those who will argue with you.
No matter, what reaction you get from your posts, they will form an impression of you to those who read them. People you have never met in person will see you in your posts. If your posts are not helpful and they do not benefit others, then people will stop interacting with you. Nobody wants to be a part of something that can be destructive and disruptive.
One thing we can do before we post is to measure it up to what Jesus would do. In other words, if Jesus had a social media account, what would He be posting. Would He be posting things that are negative, depressing, or disruptive? If you were to read a post by Jesus, would you see bad language? If your answer is no to these questions, then why do you post that way?
Our non-verbally language should be the same as our verbal language. We should remember to think before we post and remember that our posts reflect who we are. Who we are is supposed to be a reflection of Jesus. Knowing that we reflect Jesus makes it more important than ever that our posts are seen as beneficial and not harmful.
Originally published May 2019