Wednesday, May 6, 2015

I Saw It on Facebook

To my adorable new followers, let me explain.  Last fall I started making "I Saw It on Facebook" posts about once a week.  What I do, is share a picture I snagged from Facebook and then I expound upon why I liked it, here on my blog.  They are mostly humorous, but may sometimes have a more serious message.
  


You've got to admit, the cartoon is hilarious when you first read it.  The repentant sinner is hidden away confessing his sins, but his sins have preceded him to the confessional.

But when I start to thinking on it, there are so many troubling aspects of this cartoon.  Let me point out a few.  

First, everyone really needs to remember that once you post something on the web, no matter how private you have your settings, there are a million ways for it to spill over into other areas;  get into the hands of someone you never intended.  Employers and law enforcement are now using social media to check up on employees, to screen applicants, to get leads on suspects.  And it's all legal because YOU posted it!   Makes no difference if it is on your blog or social media or an online forum.  Once you put it out there, you can't get it back!  This is the uncomfortable aspect, that can cause you shame, ruin opportunities, damage relationships or land you in jail.  

The second is more of a moral aspect.  Too many folks these days are trying to stand with one foot in the world and the other on Holy Ground.  They want to party like the devil on Saturday night and go to church on Sunday morning.  Maybe not literally, but certainly figuratively.  They want to boast of their latest exploits with their peeps, bros and hos and then walk around everywhere they go like they live a life above reproach.  This is the hypocritical aspect, where you live a double life, never truly find satisfaction or acceptance.      

And that leads me to the third, a spiritual aspect. The third is simply this:  God has always had a direct "Facebook" feed on your life.  Every "post" is laid bare before Him. He knows who you really are.  And He loves you in spite of it!  Enough to let His Only Son pay the price for those sins you boast about and the ones you try to hide even from yourself.  And you don't need any person's approval or any priest's intercession.  All you need, and all that God requires, is that you admit to what He already knows about you.  That you confess you do those things.  That you repent (deeply and sincerely regret) those things.  Ask His forgiveness for yourself.  He will hear and He will forgive! For when He looks at the bill for what you owe for sin, He sees it already paid in full! Stamped paid by the blood of Jesus on the cross. Then thank Him for his love and forgiveness!  Submit (yield) your life to Christ and invite His Holy Spirit to dwell inside you.  He will protect you, lead you, guide you and help you become the person God has always wanted you to be, the person that deep down you always wished you could be.  This spiritual aspect determines your serenity and peace here on earth and in eternity.

Has something you posted online yourself ever come back to bite you?
Are you the same person in public that you are at home?
Do you know Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life?

22 comments:

  1. A very good entry and gives a lot to think about.

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  2. That cartoon is funny :) So true how employers are checking up on what people post on social media and it is a great reminder for us to be careful what we post out there. I think some people really are too forthcoming with what they post on blogs, kids names and pictures, etc. I value privacy a bit more. Yes something I did post did come back to bite me. Won't go into details but I shared a story about son that had in the end redemptive qualities but after the second segment of the story and the feedback I got about it, I took the posts down and didn't get to the "good part" of sharing how amazing God worked through it all. It just goes to show that people who you think won't be judgmental end up being judgmental (and what he did was not a good thing but there was such a lesson in it if people were willing to look beyond that).

    betty

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    1. Sort of like that old song of Don' Henley's "Dirty Laundry".

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  3. Words to live by. The double life of the hypocrit.

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    1. Thank you for visiting Caneyhead, Dona! You are welcome anytime.

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  4. I laughed the second I saw "facebook" in the priests confessional. Some things in life are supposed to remain in the beauty of your dreams.

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    1. You are right about that! I know a number of ministry/clerical folks who use Facebook. It is a great way for them to get the word out about their ministry, about events. I even manage a Facebook page for our little church. It's all events, scripture and encouragement. But it's easy to imagine a pastor, priest, etc. thinking they'd like to check in on one of their flock, maybe just to make sure everything is okay or something and perhaps being shocked by what they find on that person's page.

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  5. Amen, and yes, He is my Savior!
    That is why I am so careful online. Then again, I'm like that in the real world and just as private. Besides, God knows everything you do, so there is no hiding anywhere.

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    1. I'm proud to count you among my friends, Bro. Alex. ;) You are right, we don't hide anything from God. But we don't need to broadcast our misdeeds to the world at large either. And we aren't supposed to broadcast our good deeds either, not if we want to be rewarded in Heaven.

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  6. I'm so glad the Internet wasn't around when I was younger. By the time Facebook came around, I knew better than to put out there stuff that I wouldn't loudly talk about in a bustling public place.

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    1. In so many ways today's young people are so technology savvy, but unfortunately their understanding of the dark side of human nature is often lagging behind.

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  7. Barbara, loved this and appreciated the funny and more serious aspects you pointed out. I haven't posted anything I've regretted on the internet because I know what it is. Probably am grateful though that the Internet wasn't around in my 20s and as for at school? Phew!! I was forever writing letters and not sending them but there's that immediacy with online. You don't have to get a stamp. Go to the mailbox etc. A great post.

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    1. Thank you! Great point! A lot probably wouldn't be shared if it weren't immediate. If you were drunk you'd have time to sober up first, if you were just angry at the moment, you'd have time to cool down/

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  8. The one thing I'll never understand is why people feel the need to share all of their drama on Facebook. Keep that stuff private for goodness sakes! I don't like seeing it and I don't care. People view Facebook as a place where they can say and do everything, but there are consequences and then they can't take it back. Once it's out, it's out.

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  9. Our current township supervisor campaigned saying that she was a vice-president for a company. I never thought to check until I saw her elected and in action. The 'company' had two employees, her and the president. All anyone had to do was Google it and call her out. Now, I Google everything. Amazing what is out there, though not all info is factual.

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    1. Yeah, she was certainly dressing up her resume with what might of been a fact, but the wording was misleading.

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  10. Great post
    how do you think with my new post I published

    Thank you

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  11. I don't understand the posting every move you make and the very personal posts that can seem awkward to even read. However, I am a big fan of FB. My family and friends are spread out among many states and I love being connected and seeing pictures of them. When my dad went through his lung transplant 2 years ago, I posted about it and that post got shared between dozens of strangers that added Dad to their prayer list. It was Incredible!! Definitely some good along with the bad of facebook.

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    1. It's just like so many things in life, it's not good or evil in and of itself. It's how it is used that makes all the difference. Sounds like you are using it the smart way.

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So glad you stopped by! Come 'round any time. ~ Barbara

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