Tag: social media

Why Am I Talking? (WAIT)

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App1 Comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/45490/day/7

This devotional is all about being a peacemaker, in spite of circumstances of the effect this might have on you and your life. I don’t want to say that social media is evil, but it can be insidious, stirring up strife in all of the wrong places, including families. During the pandemic, my family was divided on the vaccinations just as many other families were. I had a legitimate medical reason not to get vaccinated repeatedly, and my children accepted it. We were invited to see the grandchildren and cautioned about having to wear masks in public. That was that.

Politics is a whole different ball game. I am a right wing Christian conservative. I will stand up for God’s word in spite of the whole political controversy that happens daily around this time. But I am not willing to lose my family relationships over it. I have two very liberal sons, but instead of arguing politics with them, I talk with them about the things we have in common: their children, books, movies, even games they enjoy. I have “unfollowed” them on social media so that I do not see all of their political sniping and get upset by it. I was just ignoring it and not responding, but that sent my BP soaring, so now if I want to see what they are posting, I go to their pages. If I want them to see my post, I tag them (and it’s never a political post). As the election draws closer, I am sure that my views will be more under scrutiny about how could I possibly vote for such a man and how does he represent my godly values. My answer is that I vote for the person who most represents my Biblical worldview regardless of their personal life. God used a lot of evil men to bring about His plan and will continue to do so because He is God and we are not. That being said, while my husband goes out of his way to debate online, I circle away from that interaction, preferring to keep my opinions to myself unless I am specifically asked a question. I think it is harder to be a peacemaker in this day of social media and vitriolic political attacks, but I am trying to maintain relationships which will last. Yes, I am definitely concerned about the direction our nation is taking and the future that will be there for our grandchildren. But breaking off relationships because they don’t like my candidate and I don’t like theirs does not make sense. I’m a Christian first, a wife second and a mom third. Somewhere way down the line of my priorities, I am a conservative who votes for the most conservative candidates running. But to maintain peace, I don’t feel that I have to let the entire world of social media know my thoughts.

Maybe I am being cowardly? I don’t know for sure. But I do know in my heart that God is sovereign and regardless of this election or any future one, God is in control. So, I will step back, let God be God and do my best to maintain relationships in which I can influence my children and grandchildren to make godly choices and decisions.

God: Devoted Doctor and Loving Parent

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App1 Comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/4

I think we can all agree that our society is broken, headed in the wrong direction. The author of this devotional hits the nail on the head when it says it’s a heart and head problem. I would add that it is also a problem of idol worship, the idols being social media and all of the technology that has a corner on the market of minds today. It is not a coincidence that Satan is called the “prince of the power of the air.” I am grateful that God is a doctor who is totally devoted to healing His people as well as a loving Father who disciplines, corrects our way and shows us the right way. How many times have you sat in a restaurant lately and watched a couple have a meal together but never really communicate with each other? Both are absorbed in whatever is on the little screen that they hold in their hands. My husband and I found ourselves doing that a while back and determined that when we go out, our dining table is a no-device zone. The restaurants aren’t always compatible with our philosophy since some have QR codes to read the menu and then to pay at the end. But, we persist in trying to establish a conversation with each other instead of with random strangers online. How many times have we turned to social media for advice or solace when the best advice we can get is from God’s Word and the best solace is from His Holy Spirit? Yes, we are a broken people, but the good news is that God is a devoted doctor and a loving father, and He doesn’t give up on diagnosing the problem and coming up with a solution. He will find a way to get our attention!

Being a Follower

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

These days we find ourselves in a technology era, one that I never imagined. There are so many social media sites that I cannot comprehend the number of followers on each of those sites. But whom are we following when we go online? Whether it is on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or even WordPress, we should be careful whom we follow.

The word follow is an interesting word. It can mean successive events but it can also mean to “go or come after, move behind in the same direction.” (http://www.dictionary.com) So, if you are following someone on social media, is your goal to emulate them? Do you want to move behind them in the same direction that they are going? If you are following those who are famous or rich, perhaps that is your goal, to be like them. But that is not the One we are called to follow.

This is what Jesus said when He called His disciples. He did not say to seek fortune or fame. Rather, He said to deny yourself and to take up your cross and follow Him. The cross was a place of shame, a punishment that was undeserved and yet our Lord and Savior suffered the humiliation of the cross. But here we are in this modern era claiming to have X number of followers and to be following X number of people. Our statistics seem to matter more than the example of those we are following. I follow a lot of people who read books similar to what I read, including authors and publishers and other readers. Does that make me not a follower of Jesus? No. But it does show where my priorities are. Reading is important to me, books matter to me, so those are the people online whom I follow. I also follow other Christians online, like the pastor who discipled me almost five decades ago and the current church that we attend. Jesus does not have a page for us to follow, does He? Of course not because His Book, His pages, are written in our hearts. So, when we follow Him, we are expected to follow His example. He gave without thinking of the cost to Himself. We should do likewise. He completed the ministry that the Father gave Him to do. We should do likewise. No matter how many days that God gives us on this earth, our calling is to find God’s purpose for our lives and fulfill it to the best of our ability. My greatest desire is to follow Jesus, no matter where He leads and no matter the cost. I want to wake up every morning with His Name on my lips and His sacrifice in my heart. I don’t want to be a statistic that says “Oh, me? Well, I’m a Christian. I follow Jesus.” I want to really choose to make Him the most important person in my life, my reason for being.

This is my prayer for me today and I hope it is your prayer, too. When you go online to the various social media outlets today, I hope that you will take a serious look at who is following you and what kind of example you are setting there. When you write posts, are you making sure that what you are saying is edifying, true, kind and necessary? When you respond to posts, are you responding in a way that shows you care for that person? I’m convinced that if Jesus were literally born into this age, He would be on social media but His would be a presence that called people to Him because of His great love. We are His hands, feet, eyes, ears and fingers typing on the keyboard. Are we showing His example to the world online? Are we being His witnesses as He called us to do?

Once again, my prayer for you and me is that we may be blessed so that we can be a blessing. But I also pray that God will help each of us become more like Him, a person worthy for others to follow, both in our physical lives and online.