The Danger of Social Media
Being in leadership at age 57 is interesting. I am finding that I need to work really hard at understanding the various generations that we are serving. Each group are unique and the opportunities for ministry are endless.
A part of understanding our “world” and how we communicate is grappling with the whole concept of Social Media. Facebook has become one of the world’s fastest growing means of communication. It has been said that right now Facebook is the 5th largest country in the world.
What started out as a mean for college kids to communicate has turned into a diverse group of users from all walks of life. There are many good uses for Facebook. I now a place to see all my grandkids pictures and sharing pictures is really convenient. I have been able to connect with kids I went to school with and hear their stories. That has been fun.
One of the dangers is that we have begun to use Facebook to freely comment about anything and everything for the world to see. If I am happy, I broadcast it. If I am frustrated about something, I broadcast it. If I am disgruntled about work, or if I am ticked off at someone, I can voice my opinion for the whole world to see.
The problem is that we have replaced face-to-face communication with the ability to say what we want, how we want, when we want. Like email, Facebook can be the means to say things to people that we would never have the courage to say to someone’s face. Maybe that confirms what someone said: “the pen is mightier than the sword.”
We need to be reminded that we ARE accountable for our words whether they are spoken or written. Spoken or written words are never easy to pull back once uttered. And how damaging our words can be.
I find myself mostly posting Scripture. The good news about those words are that they will NEVER return void! Lord, let the words of my mouth, the words that I write, be acceptable in Your sight – O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick
Compass Pointers: There can be no doubt that this possessive clinging to things is one of the most harmful habits in the [Christian] life. Because it is so natural, it is rarely recognized for the evil that it is. But its outworking’s are tragic. A. W. Tozer
Anchored to the Rock: Intercession is the link between man’s impotence and God’s omnipotence. Andrew Murray
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