There’s an ongoing debate/discussion in our society, particularly in the communications profession to which I belong: how much personal information does one share on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. With updates searchable on the Internet and available to nearly anyone, what is safe to share? What is too much? What’s appropriate?
Your posts say a lot about you — the company you keep, how you spend your free time, what you value, where you’re going and what you’re doing. Have you ever considered, whether you really want to share all that information with Joe Smith from high school who you haven’t seen in years? Do you really want virtual strangers to know your coming and going? I often think twice about letting my social networks know when I’m traveling to protect myself from people with dishonest intentions. Someone could easily break into my house knowing when I’m away. I’ve heard stories of people who weren’t hired for a job because of content on their Facebook pages.
Say Anything
Here’s the deal: as Christians, we should be able to post anything to social sites because Christians are to live pure and blameless lives — as people with nothing to hide and nothing of which to be ashamed. Transparent.
Ephesians 4:25 (NIV): Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
Complete transparency is freeing.
If you live a completely transparent Christian life, you don’t need to remember what you said to whom. You don’t have to hide behind walls or facades that keep the real you hidden from others. You can just be you, shining your light brightly for Christ. You don’t need to worry about what Joe Smith from high school knows or thinks. You don’t have to be concerned about what a potential employer may learn about you through Facebook. You have nothing to hide. You might even want to open up the privacy settings on Facebook to let more people know about your commitment to Christ and living an upright life.
How do you decide what information you’ll share on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc.? What can you do today to live more transparently?
1 Peter 2:12 (NLT): Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
