PLEASE PIN THIS IMAGE: How to mind your business in the Internet ageHow to have an online presence and still mind your own business? Iexamine this question from a Christian perspective in this article. If you’vebeen asking yourself if it’s okay for Christians to be on social media, keepreading.

Susie balked. Her stomach twisted as anger began a slow boilbeneath her solar plexus. Did I.D.K. Much reallydo that when he was a kid? That was worse than anything she’d ever heard aboutB.S. Prez! What was the world of politics coming to?

Thumbs doing a fast dance over her phone screen, shescrolled down to read the comments. Anger became fury, boiling over in hot lavaand a stream of curse words. Her friend was defendingIDK? What the heck?

Like an out-of-control bus, indignation rolled over andthrough her, tightening every one of her muscles. In a flash, she was on herother social media site, thumbs flying as she tapped out her opinion, urgingthe world to stop being stupid by supporting IDK.

The next morning, she went to church and worshipped God.

Or, so she believed…

The 21st century sin.

This morning, I engaged in a debate with myeighteen-year-old son. To respect his dignity – and to avoid hypocrisy, as you’llunderstand as I move on in this post – I’m not going to give details about it.Suffice to say that it had to do with people online spouting opinions aboutother people (whom they don’t know personally), and that I ended up remindinghim that we are not to judge others because the planks in our eyes are biggerthan the specks in other people’s eyes (Matthew 7:3-5).

That got me to thinking about Paul’s admonition in 1 Thessalonians4:11, that Christians should lead quiet lives and mind their own business. It’sa concept I’ve struggled with on and off for the past few years, because if Iblog or upload public YouTube videos, am I not encouraging people to get intomy business? Even if I’m not, there’s always the danger of becoming one ofthose armchair judges of Internet personalities, and allowing my opinions toseep through my content.

The beginning of human nosiness.

The fact of the matter is, people have always been nosier than they ought. Gossip is likely as old as the human race, with propaganda notfar behind. Every technological advance in communication – the printing press,the telephone, radio, television, the Internet – has only served to increasethe difficulty of minding one’s own business. Human beings yearn to connectwith each other, but in our fallen state have done so with an increasinglyheavier pull to do so via manipulation and persuasion of others to ungodlyopinions and perspectives.

I’m not anti-Internet, but…

Twenty-five years ago, websites and online videos pushed thelimit of psychological and emotional manipulation; today, social media has madethe problem a hundred times worse. People on one side of a social or politicalissue are convinced they are right, and do everything they can to persuadeother people to believe the way they do.

And many – most? – of these beliefs are dead wrong.

The use of language learning artificial intelligent modelssuch as ChatGPT for distribution of propaganda on social media sites hasaggravated an already tenuous situation.

I avoid social media for a variety of reasons, but lately,that has become a primary one. From all reports, many threads consist of one oftwo types: people arguing with the vehemence of a cat under a shower aboutsocial and political issues, or people giving the O.P. compliments and virtualpats on the back, cheering them on for their insights and thoughts.

Even when they’re wrong.

Because nobody’s wrong if they believe the same way you do.

And therein lies the problem: human beings are flawed, andtherefore none of us – no matter how close to God we believe we are – know theabsolute truth about every situation. Worse, our past experiences bias ouropinions; and opinions, when ruminated on long enough, become entrenchedbeliefs, which do a bang-up job of masquerading as Truth.

The core of my conversation with (okay, lecture to) my sonthis morning centered on this idea, that what we think is truth, often isn’t.

And the problem is much worse today, thanks to theinsinuation of relativism into modern thought.

But there’s a larger challenge that Christians face, andthat is our flesh. Our flesh – that part of us that flips the birdie at God andsays, “I got this, thanks” – tempts us into responding to posts and threads andcomments that we believe to be wrong, to be contrary to God’s word. Our fleshbegins by whispering that as a Christian, we have a responsibility to correctpeople online, whether friends, acquaintances, or perfect strangers. It tells us that it’spart of what Yeshua meant by being “salt and light.”

Then, once we engage, it provides justifications forreplying with increasing frustration and ire and self-righteousness when otherstake us to task with what we’ve said.

Finally, we end up flipping a virtual birdie at them, and leave the thread feeling angry,dismayed, and perhaps even in despair. We lose all sight of Yeshua’s way,replacing His light and easy yoke with a heavy burden made by our own hands.

Rather, by our minds.

In the process, we lose our witness with those we initiallyset out to help.

Should Christians be on social media? Or give up theInternet altogether?

If to no other time, Yeshua was looking ahead to thetwenty-first century when He told us to be in the world, but not of the world ([John 17). Technology has made keeping our mind onthe things of God more challenging than the pre-television days, and theconstant stream of information, advice, and opinions on social media can makeChristians feel like they’re getting sucked into a deep pit of worldlyquicksand with no way out.

As a fifty-five-year-old woman who has lived most of her life(so far!) without Internet, and who does not engage on social media, I can tellyou for a certain fact that it is possible for anyone to thrive without either.Obviously, I have chosen to use certain aspects of the Internet to myadvantage. But I temper my use, avoiding social media and places likesensationalist websites and YouTube channels. If I comment on a video – which israre – it’s to add to the content, or provide a bit of encouragement, not tomarket my “brand,” debate with anyone, or seek attention.

In other words, I don’t get into other people’s business.

Why?

Why did the apostle Paul advise followers of Yeshua, so longago, to mind their own business? Not having spoken with the man personally, Ican’t tell you for sure. But life experience and common sense, as well as asolid relationship with my heavenly Father, have illuminated several reasons.

It’s a lot easier to follow Yeshua’s command not tojudge.It’s a lot less stressful. Getting into other people’sbusiness is a good way to invite the spirit of fear into your life. And whenyou’re full of fear and anxiety, there’s no room for love. Which brings us to…Getting into people’s business isn’t love. It’smanipulation. Manipulation is thebiggest sin that everyone ignores .You might be wrong. If you stick your hand into a pile ofdung, it will end up all over you if, in the end, your friendly advice orstrong opinion is wrong. You could end up causing more harm than good to theother person.“But what about carrying each other’s burdens?”

You’re allowed to ask someone, “Are you okay?” It’s godly to offersupport and prayer if someone reveals a challenge in their life.

That’s love. That’s compassion.

I believe that when Paul told us to mind our own business,he was telling us, through the Holy Spirit, two things. Number one, we’re notto jump in and try to “rescue” people who are living or believing differentlythan we are. Yes, report a crime. Even stop it, if you can safely do so. Yes,gently correct a fellow believer if they’re obviously choosing a sinful path.

But if you’re an avid homeschooling mother, don’t try to persuade every other mother you meet who sends their children to school to believe what you do about education. Don’t be an armchairnutritionist or physician to people you meet online who talk about theirphysical woes. Don’t tell people they are idiots for taking a differentpolitical stand than you do.

In other words, don't give unsolicited advice and opinions.

Number two, we’re not to obsess over the choices of people outside of our responsibility (usually immediate family) because all that does is lead to worry. Christians worry over a lot of thingsunder the guise of “concern” or “social justice” or “righteous indignation,”but worry is a form of fear, and living in fear is living in sin.

How dare I say that? Well, I didn’t. God did.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer andsupplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; andthe peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts andminds through Christ Jesus [Philippians 4:6-7].”

Worry is anxiety, and it comes from not trusting God withour problems. This verse cannot be more clear that God’s will for His childrenis for us to walk in peace.

We cannot do that if we are minding other people’s business.

So, how can Christians have an online presence and stillmind their own business? It’s simple. Only engage when and where the Lord leadsyou to.

Completely avoid gossip or anything that even slightlysmacks of sensationalism. Even if a Christian started it.

Conservative Christians are as guilty as anyone else of spreading such half-truths (even full-on lies).

If you end up in worry or judgment by what you read, orpotentially hurting another person due to your comments?

You totally missed God. Perhaps it would be better for youto completely disengage from social media and controversial content onlineuntil you’ve matured to a point where you no longer believe you have the answerto everyone’s problems.

Let peace and love be your guide. 

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