Difficult discussions will come up. This is part of the social media territory. How we respond is what sets us apart.
Social media has become a huge part of our lives. I heard just the other day that people check their phones an average of 144 times a day and spend around 4 hours and 30 minutes on their phone daily. That is a lot of social media, texting, shopping, paying bills, etc.
Social media connects us globally, bridges communication gaps with people far away, and allows direct interaction. Social media has changed how we connect in our personal interactions and has helped businesses grow and sometimes soar.
But let’s focus on social media itself. It’s fast becoming the thing that most people can’t live without. It helps us stay in touch with long-distance friends, message people in an instant, and keep up with our favorite interests, organizations, etc. However, social media has a dark side too, ripe with comparison, jealousy, bullying, and other negative things.
This brings us to several crucial questions. How do we navigate social media with a Christian perspective? What is the role of social media in our modern life?
Finding Your Purpose: Engaging with Intention
It’s important to engage on social media with intention, which means aligning your social media and your use of social media with Christian values.
-First, reflect on your reason for being on social media. Why do you want to be there and for what purpose?
-Engage in community by joining local groups or events. Look for local Christian groups or events that promote or have a community on social media and get involved.
-Clarify your purpose and align with biblical values. This means being on social media because you enjoy it and have fun with it, not for the ‘likes’ or adoration. Don’t get caught up in the lack of engagement or outpouring of ‘likes’ and comments. Be vigilant about what you post and if it aligns with your beliefs and values.
-Maintain a healthy perspective. Don’t get caught up in how much audience you have and how many people like or don’t like what you post. The algorithm changes like the weather. Be content with what interaction you get and move forward. Remember, your worth is not in the engagement with your social media accounts; it’s in your creator.
The Power of Positivity: Spreading Hope and Kindness
There is so much negativity on social media. Use your platform to spread hope and kindness. One of my favorite people on social media right now is Thressa Sweat. She has a channel on YouTube about remote jobs and posts videos every day with remote job leads. Thressa is a Christian, is open about her faith, and has a fantastic personality packed with positivity. Watching her is always a bright spot in my day.
Other ways to spread hope and kindness on social media include:
-Share uplifting Bible verses to encourage and inspire people.
-Support your favorite charity and ask for donations, promoting random acts of kindness.
-Create an online prayer community for fellowship.
-Spread messages of joy and hope to help build online communities full of support for their members.
-Post a video or write a blog post with your testimony.
Staying Grounded: The Importance of Scripture and Prayer
It is important to anchor your presence on social media in Scripture and prayer.
-Stay focused on Christ and in prayer.
-Verify information. There is a lot of false information out there, so it’s important to research this information to avoid deception.
-Engage intentionally while keeping your biblical values.
-Starting the day with prayer and devotional time before hopping on social media. Ask the Lord to guide you and protect you as you navigate the digital world.
-Exercise self-control and discretion with your speech. These days, people post things online that they would never say to someone face to face. We all know the tongue has the most power, so pause before typing to prevent conflicts and other forms of negative interaction.
Addressing Controversy: Navigating Difficult Discussions
Difficult discussions will come up. This is part of the social media territory. How we respond is what sets us apart.
-Always respond with grace and truth. What does this mean? It means balancing truth-telling with grace. Speak the truth with tact, especially in sensitive discussions.
-Avoid anger-fueled discussions. Don’t get involved in discussions that are unconstructive or lead to division instead of constructive dialogue. This is also not the time to bash others and take a know-it-all stance. If you have nothing constructive to say, be silent.
Fostering Community: Building Meaningful Connections
Social media is a great way to build meaningful connections with people.
-Create a Facebook group for believers to have discussions, study the Bible, watch movies together, etc.
-Get involved with Christian social media apps like Echo Prayer App, YouVersion Bible app, Shine Christian Social Network, myPraize, ChristianLikeMe.net, GodTube, and Cross.tv.
Protection from Negativity: Setting Boundaries Online
It is important to set boundaries online.
-If you run a group or community, clearly outline what behaviors are not tolerated and warrant expulsion from the group or community.
-Don’t interact with trolls on the internet; it will only make things worse.
-Recognize negative people so you can unfollow them and move on.
-Vow to only check your social media two or three times a day. (Morning/Evening or Morning/Afternoon/Evening.) Use this time to respond to (positive) comments, questions, and to check your messages. Set a time limit so you’re not scrolling endlessly, and if you have to set a timer on your phone, do it.
Sharing Your Testimony: The Art of Personal Storytelling
Use your personal experience to inspire others. Being authentic and personal on social media is so important because that’s how you connect with people.
-Make a short video and share your testimony.
-Write a blog post about your testimony and share the link on social media.
-Share your favorite Bible verses and the why behind it.
-Share your favorite Christian book, artist or band, or movie and how it has impacted you.
-Share a story about something you went through and how God got you through it.
-Share a feel-good story you found on social media and offer your insight and what you love most about it.
-Share your talents (singing, art, crafting, etc.) and talk about how grateful you are for your gift and that you can share it with others.
Balancing Screen Time: Maintaining Healthy Habits
As they say, everything is in moderation, and this includes social media. How do we keep ourselves from scrolling endlessly?
-Set a timer each time you get on social media and only allow that amount of time for each session. For example, 30 minutes is plenty of time to post, respond to questions/comments, and do a little scrolling. Any more time than that and you will keep scrolling and scrolling…and scrolling. I know this from experience.
-Make a rule about family time being free of screens.
-Remind yourself that doing things with friends and family (aka genuine connections) is more beneficial than tons of screen time.
-Plan activities to look forward to that don’t involve your phone.
-Create screen-free spaces in your home.
-No screen time at bedtime. You will thank yourself the next morning.
Embracing Authenticity: Being True to Your Faith
Always create an authentic image online and be true to your faith. People will appreciate your honesty, and you will have more meaningful interactions.
It can be hard navigating social media as a Christian. There are so many things to think about and watch out for, but if you are genuine, don’t interact with trolls, and ask the Lord for guidance, you can use social media successfully and mindfully.
Photo Credit: ©Sara Kurfess/Unsplash
