This article first appeared on The Christian Broadcasting Network |
We’re all guilty (some more than others). We post something to Facebook or Instagram and then we watch … will anyone like this? How many people will like? Will they comment? Or share it? Twitter is no different – only the question we ask ourselves – did anyone retweet it? Tag it as their favorite?
This insecure, idiotic behavior is human – plain and simple. I hate it. You probably hate it. But we continue doing it because we have built-in mechanisms that constantly ask, “Do you like me?”
But here’s the problem for Christians: We’re also children of God. We’ve been made in the image of God and have been given His Spirit. Therefore, these crazy insecurities shouldn’t plague us like before. And yet, we find ourselves in that trap time and time again: posting, checking, waiting, checking again (and ultimately wasting a lot of time).
Would Jesus have done this if these things were available when He walked the earth?
I’m pretty sure we just had 100% solid answer by everyone who read that question of NO. And isn’t it funny that we all know the answer and yet still struggle with this behavior problem? But there’s a reason Jesus wouldn’t have cared about Facebook Likes or Instagram Loves or Retweetable Tweets.
The Bible says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation…” (Philippians 2:5-7). In other words, He didn’t really care what others thought of Him. He wasn’t in a popularity contest.
In Luke 19, Jesus visited the house of Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector. When others saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner” (Luke 19:7). Did Jesus care about what they thought? Nope. Not at all. But He did answer them. “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:9-10).
Here’s the deal: everything Jesus did or said had purpose.
And this is why Jesus wouldn’t have cared about Facebook likes. His purpose in doing anything wasn’t to win a popularity contest or to gain new friends. I promise Jesus was not insecure. Human, yes — insecure, no.
Even when life was hard and the weight of the world’s hatred was against Him, Jesus still didn’t waver. “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour ‘? But for this purpose I came to this hour” (John 12:27).
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and all the rest are not our enemies. Quite the contrary, they can be places of interaction and enjoyment. But if we only post things to see what others think, then we’re in trouble. Instead, we need to have purpose behind everything we do–including our tweets, updates, and shares.
But that purpose should never be for popularity or reputation. YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST IS INTACT. Remember, He already “likes” you and He’s the only One we’re aiming to please.
