Social Media Smarts: Grown Up Edition

Remember that every social media profile is a human being.

As you dialog with others online, think of them as people whom Jesus loves and died for. Really! Check out their profiles. Dig through their public photos or most recent tweets. Try to catch a glimpse of the person behind the message. Everyone has a backstory. Would you say to their faces what you tweeted from your desk? Would your mother smack your hand if she caught you typing those words? We cannot forget the human element, strange as that may sound. In the words of Jonathan Merritt, Religion News Service reporter,

Reminder: behind every twitter profile is a human being that you might actually like if you got to know them irl.

Similarly, remember Jesus’s admonition in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

 Next week, I’ll share thoughts on social media smarts: parenting edition. It’s a crazy world out there, but we can protect and guide our kids into mature, godly online communicators.