Social media, if we chose to participate, is an extension of ourselves that boasts what we love and where we spend our time; shows what captivates us; and chronicles the growth of families, gardens, and bookshelves. It’s a virtual arm, but rarely do we recognize that. And what we like, share, post, and send matters for the follower of Christ. We are the body of Christ, and as ambassadors, we represent him to a dark world. Sure, we know this, but when is the last time we pondered the affects? And so, after being forced to think of how what we post online has real consequences, I felt the need to apologize, ask questions, and call believers to righteousness.
Yesterday, I hastily shared an Instagram post that lamented the sexualization of our culture and the Christian’s eager embracing of it by praising Taylor Swift. I shared the post because in my grief over believers celebrating new music and subsequently having a tempting image flash across my screen a few dozen times, I found the post thought-provoking and worthy of our immediate consideration; however, after I have sat with the post and my initial disbelief (at a Christian sharing a picture, not at Taylor Swift acting like the unbeliever she is) finally subsided, I admit that the post I re-shared did not use gracious language nor a kind tone in which a Christ-follower is commanded to walk (Galatians 6:1). And because social media by default is an extension of our hearts (Matthew 12:34-40) and I am a representation of Christ, I am so sorry for portraying an attitude of harshness by mere association. Harsh, critical, and demeaning language never reflects Jesus Christ. By posting in my Instagram and Facebook story, it was not my intention to belittle, criticize, or shame another individual for sharing the photo. I know that there may have been some that were made to feel like a second-rate Christian for your actions, and I just want to say with all sincerity, I am very sorry. I love you very much, and hot-bottom issues like this are always, and should always be addressed one-on-one. If I can apologize to you personally, it would be my heart’s desire to do that.
And this brings me to what I believe are better questions surrounding the new album art.
Question 1: When I post something questionable, why do I get so defensive when a fellow Christ-follower engages is cordial disagreement?
Question 2: Am I actually my brother’s keeper and responsible for what I post?
Let me explain.
Scenario 1: Christian Girl A shared Taylor Swift’s album art and when asked if she thought it was appropriate to have on her page, she began to justify reasons she posted it, why it was okay to post, and defended the picture as not a big deal. No, very wrong.
Scenario 2: Christian me [Renee] shared a thread bemoaning worldly influences from a source notoriously riddled with snarkiness and uncharitableness, and when asked about the critical spirit with which this account regularly spoke with, Renee started to justify that the post made good points, that those points were undeniably true, and therefore, it didn’t matter how the tone came across. No, also very wrong.
Both are wrong, both Christian Girl A and Christian Renee are wrong. Christian Girl A sinned. Christian Renee sinned. Equally. Equally guilty before the throne of God, equally deserving of death because of our sin. Yes. Death is what our sin deserves and we would be better to think on it more. Unfortunately, each one feeling justified and a little more superior than the other for her decision and defense on social media.
So this all caused me to dig deeper into how—in all things—we are our brother’s keeper, for better or worse.
The Christian life is a life not meant for isolation. It’s a life joined to another growing up into Christ (Ephesians 4:15). A life of fellowship. We are our brother’s keeper by our actions. However, we repeat Cain’s murderous acts in our hearts when we hold our freedoms to post whatever we want when we want it closer than our concern for our fellow believer (Genesis 4:8-10, Matthew 5:22-24)—that goes for the Christian Girl A and for Christian Renee. In all our posting, we must do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than ourselves. Letting each of us look not to our own interest, but also to the interest of others (Philippians 2:3-4).
So let’s be very clear here and seek what, in faith, pleases God (Hebrews 11).
Is sharing a picture that was designed to stir the desire of the eyes and lusts of the heart an appropriate action for those who profess Jesus Christ as their Lord? Absolutely not. Sexual immorality in every fashion has NO place among God’s chosen people (Ephesians 5:3).
Is posting a thread that speaks harshly, condescendingly, and without concern for the heart while demonizing the person who has sinned an appropriate action for those who profess Jesus Christ as their Lord? Absolutely not. Any talk that does not build up or give grace to it’s hearers—no matter how true!— has NO place among the people of God (Ephesians 4:29, 5:4).
Sin always affects more than just yourself and it is far reaching. A scantily clad picture causes sexual immorality to abound to greater depths than any terms we will come to on our own. Demeaning speech causes boastful and hardened hearts that are consistently against more people than we care to admit. The affects of sin bleed on everyone in our sphere of influence and beyond—boy, girl, man, woman. And the believer is called to live a life of godliness (1 Peter 1, Galatians 5) in both word and in deed while walking in love toward one another (Ephesians 5). “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor” (1 Corinthians 10:24)
While we may have (even unknowingly) murdered our brother in our hearts over a ridiculous album cover and spilled the blood of our fellow believer with our hateful and unwise words, the blood of Christ speaks a better word of hope for us (Hebrews 12:24). The Bible is clear that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) because Jesus Christ himself canceled our debt by taking our punishment on the cross (Colossians 2:14). Because blood better than Abel’s—Christ’s very own blood—has been spilled on our behalf, we are free to walk in love toward our neighbor and let brotherly love continue (Ephesians 5:2, Hebrews 13:1, Romans 12:9-21).
May we not let anything stand in the way of fellowship and obedience, including our false sense of freedom to post things that do not please God on a social platform. The problem isn’t primarily Taylor Swift’s picture. It’s our heart’s contentment with impurity. Nor is the problem having a tongue to speak or fingers to type; it’s our heart’s desire to rule over others with an iron fist under the guise of zealousness.
Rest assured, the Lord disciplines the ones he loves (Hebrews 12:6)—and many times it is through the loving kindness of a believer pointing out our blindness to God’s standard of righteousness. For Christian Girl A, and for Christian Renee. May all that we say, do, post, and share seek to build up, encourage, disciple, and lead others closer to the heart of Christ. We are called to be our brother’s keeper loving one another more than we love ourselves. After all, isn’t that what Christ Jesus himself has done for his brothers? He surely keeps them to the end.
In love,
Renee
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