Today's devotional is written by Pastor Roy Summers
The World of Social Media
Since our church has gone online for Sunday services, I've been spending more time on social media.
Not lots more time - I cannot bear so much of it and let me explain why.
First there are the plain lies. In fact there is a website that many people use with those three letters, L I E, in its very name - and in that order - and I am amazed what people claim for and about themselves on it. Assertions that bear no resemblance to reality.
Social media is the place, it seems, to tell fat fibs.
Second, and far more disturbing, is the deceit and manipulation. People project an image of themselves or their marriages or their families or their churches which again, bears no resemblance to the truth.
Families in crisis project an image of Waltonian bliss, couples on the brink of divorce present themselves as intoxicated newly weds, and so it goes on. Social media is the place to give an impression far removed from reality, and that is called deceit.
A lie is (just) a lie, but deceit is far worse, for it is a lie deliberately dressed up as the truth.
Third, attracting followers seems to be the most important objective of being online. It does not matter who is following or why they are following, just get your numbers up.
When translated into church life this is a perilous game. For the only way to attract numbers from the world is to water down truth or omit those parts of truth offensive to the contemporary world.
If Jesus Tweeted
If Jesus had a twitter account my guess is he'd have about - eleven - followers. Can you imagine the Lord's tweets?
"If any man would come after me he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me."
"Woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!"
"Blessed are you when people insult you.."
In the light of social media's lies and deceit, I ask: Who are you following? And how do you know they are who they claim to be? What if the good impression they are making turns out to be a cloak of rank and utter deceit?
Come Follow Me
Our memory verse for today encourages us to follow but one person, Jesus said:
"Come follow me" (Mark 10:21)
Of course we learn to follow Jesus by following those who follow him. But we do not follow them online, we follow them in life. We dare not follow anyone whose life and home is not open to our inspection.
Online satan could pretend to be Gabriel.
Paul was able to say, "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me - put it into practice." (Philippians 4:9)
Only trust people whose real lives - including, no most especially, their home lives - are open books. Online they may be making it all up.
Summing it all Up
Jesus calls us all to follow him. We learn to follow him, by following those who have been following him faithfully for years, and whose lives are an open book to all, always bearing in mind that they won't be perfect like the Lord Jesus.
I worry as a Christian pastor, that folks in our churches will follow deceivers, people whose online image is at radical variance with their everyday lives.
Don't follow anyone online whose life is unknown to you - that is the key insight of the idea of discipleship. When Paul planted a church he lived among the people an open life. He could then tell the folks, "follow me as I follow Jesus" (1 Corinthians 11:1) Paul's online life matched his real day to day life. Only follow those whose real lives mirror the stuff they write about themselves online; and then only if that stuff emulates the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Word.
A SONG FOR THE DAY
Let's make sure that we follow Jesus. That's the decison we made, by God's grace, many years ago, when we began the journey of eternal life.
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
no turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, I still will follow;
though none go with me, I still will follow;
though none go with me, I still will follow;
no turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
the world behind me, the cross before me,
the world behind me, the cross before me;
no turning back, no turning back.
Anonymous
You can reafirm your calling HERE.
A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Our Father in heaven, sender of the Spirit of Truth,
Teach us to love the truth. Keep us from being among those who so love deceit that we perish when you send us a delusion. Help us to seek and love truth, no matter the cost.
May we always follow those whose lives are an open book, who walk uprightly before you and their brothers and sisters.
And above all else, may we follow the Lord Jesus Christ, the living and loving Lord of all,
In His name we ask these things,
Amen
Photo by Brandi Ibrao on Unsplash
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