Faith in the Feed

In this episode, Abigail and Lekeisha talk about what it means to follow Jesus in a world shaped by social media. From doom scrolling and information overload to using online platforms for good, this conversation explores how believers can stay grounded in God’s truth, guard their minds, and live with purpose in the digital world.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to At the Table, a podcast from Quest Fellowship Church. In each episode, we explore how faith intersects with real life, how we navigate culture, community, and personal growth as followers of Jesus. These are just conversations, not conclusions, and space to simply think deeply, listen well, and walk in this journey together. We hope you enjoy today's show.

SPEAKER_03 0:21

Well, hi, Keisha. It's good to have you with us. Um to talk about something that is a heavy hitter, I would say. Um, but I'm super excited about what God's laid on your heart, um, things that he's been showing me just through meditating on this, thinking about this. Um, and we are going to be talking about navigating social media. Yes. Um, the big, the big one. So um, yeah, before we jump in, just really quick to tell uh those who are listening and watching um a little bit about you. Keisha um is one of our leaders with our Women's Connect group. Um, you probably, if you've been involved in that, you see her name on emails and things like that. Um, and you've probably heard her speak at some of our events, um, things like that. But um, is there anything you want to add? I think Zion's mom. Yes, Zion's mom.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

Yeah, CJ's white. CJ's white.

SPEAKER_03 1:15

There we go. Hit all the checked all the boxes. Chocolate chip cookie lover. Okay. All the things. Same. Yep. Any cookie really, as long as it doesn't have coconut, I'm good. I will take it. Um, so yeah, we're gonna we're gonna talk about what it is to navigate social media um specifically as a follower of Jesus, because it is a it's a different world. It's like a whole nother world that we now are citizens of, honestly. Um and so there has to be some thought and some intentionality as to how we we use it and we approach it. Um so just really quick kind of backstory, I guess, of how I've been thinking about this. Um, you know, we've we started social media, and I say we meaning like the whole world, not Abigail, right? But um, as like highlight reel. Right. So it was like filters and make everything pretty and share all the wonderful things that are going on and hide all the bad stuff, which we still have. Um, but now we have this new word, doom scrolling. Um so we've moved into this new era of like we're just absorbing and a lot of it is negative. Um so just right off the bat, like what are your thoughts with relationship to social media and and where we are now? Oh so many thoughts.

SPEAKER_01 2:30

In in three words. I'm just kidding. I think, well, the first part, social media, like because we can be a little cynical at sometimes, right? And just think it's all bad. There are some good things about social media. Yeah, we have this, for example, Pinterest. You can get Pinterest ideas. So, you know, social media in itself is not all bad. And I think about like when it first started, it was like my space, and then it turned into Facebook, and now we have YouTube and TikTok and LinkedIn. So there's so many components of social media, but to your point now that it's moving into the doom scrolling where we're just feeding ourselves so much content, and it just turns into this never-ending scroll, right? Doom scrolling. And I mean, even just from like a clinical standpoint, or you know, my background is also in counseling, okay. What it's causing our souls, right? Like anxiety and anger. So we're scrolling to the point where we're starting to feel like all these emotions that are just turning into something that it wasn't necessarily designed to be when it started off.

SPEAKER_03 3:40

Yeah, it kind of has nowhere to go. Yes, yes, yeah, yeah. And uh, you know, talking about the positive things too, I think um there's a lot of times where I'll pick up my phone to feel joy or like because I want to laugh or I want to do those types of things that are, you know, they're not bad. Um, but just thinking again, as a Christian, how how is what is that doing to my heart? Yeah, you know, um on the surface, it's not a bad thing. Um but yeah, so talking about that like absorption and just consuming, consuming, consuming. Yes. What do you what do you do or like how do you make your choices on what you consume and the levels that you consume it at, you know, all that good stuff?

SPEAKER_01 4:21

Um I think it comes down to like a heart posture, right? Because again, it starts with something good. And I think about where scripture says guard your heart, right? And what we allow into our our minds and our bodies. And Jesus himself said, like, the eye, the gateway to the soul. Yeah. So even when you are consuming social media again, whether it's a YouTube podcast, a Instagram highlight reel, to your point, us as believers, like we have a different lens and filter that we need to use. Yes. So when I'm going to look at a particular podcast, or if I'm choosing who to follow, I think us as believers, we have to look at it through the lens of Jesus, right? Okay, is this good for my soul? Is this causing me to further walk by the spirit, or am I gratifying the desires of the flesh, flesh? These are the questions that I ask myself. Um, and even I think it's hard to because you know, when you write or when you're a blogger or you want to use it for good, right? It can turn into like vanity metrics. For sure. People want to see how many followers do you have, or is your content great? What's your aesthetic? Right. But again, looking back, guard your heart. And is this edifying my soul? Like, I use those things to kind of help me navigate the world of social media.

SPEAKER_03 5:44

Yeah, yeah, because it can, it's a like very delicate balance. Because you're like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna guard my heart. Yeah, and then you start, like you said, you start to see that number creep up or you start to see people comment more, and then it's just human nature to like to want that. Yeah, um, but yeah, I was thinking about this too of of how do we choose what to consume and and how much to consume. And I came across in Luke um about a tree and its fruit. And so I'm just gonna read a little bit of it. This is uh chapter six, forty-three and forty, three forty-five. Um, no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its fruit. Um, I'm gonna skip to 45. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Yes. So this is a little twofold. Yes. Um, and you know, we consume, and like you just said, like what we're taking in is what is gonna come out. Um, and so we have to keep that awareness of like, what's this doing to me? Yeah, which is hard. It's hard to sort of do a self-assessment, um, especially in the world of social media where you're choosing everything. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 7:05

Or the algorithm is choosing it for you. Or the algorithm. Yes. Yep. There's we don't even think about that. Like there's that aspect of even if you just stop on a particular post for a certain amount of time, right? Behind the scenes, your filter is being curated for you. Yep. And that's also the scary part of why we need to choose wisely what we're choosing, because it's not just about, oh, I'm clicking on this post, I'm reading this article. No, there's something else going on that's curating content for you. Yeah. Which is a whole nother topic. I know.

SPEAKER_03 7:40

Yeah, we just we just got back from Disney and me and my husband both were both like getting all these Disney videos now, like because we probably used the Disney app or they saw that we were or they saw the our location. Yeah, the people um yeah, you like you said, another topic. But um, yeah, they were being fed that stuff because they're like, okay, I gotta get them now, you know? Um so yeah, I I try to, and this is something I'm I'm telling myself to keep with me, even going from this conversation of like, is what I'm taking in producing good fruit or is it producing evil? You know? Um and that doesn't always people don't always see that. I think sometimes, like you said, that's it's internal. Yes. It's internal. Yeah, yeah. Um, and so do you have like certain things uh that you sort of I would say create your own filter with? Obviously, we like you said, Jesus, scripture. Um, but just in in taking in, especially I feel like we're at a time right now where like news is all in everywhere, right? And everyone has their own opinion about it. And um it's hard to know what is true and what is not true. And so finding good places to be informed because that's not a bad thing.

SPEAKER_01 8:52

Yeah, you know, at all. Um, I think it goes back to this scripture that you just shared, like um when we are absorbing content, right? And if I'm using scripture to be the lens of how I'm guiding my life, matching it up, is this person that I'm following, is this article that I'm reading, is this YouTube podcast that I'm watching, is this producing good fruit in my life or bad fruit? And on the flip side, even if because I I write content, right, I contribute to some Christian publications, yeah. Am I edifying God or am I trying to edify myself? Right. I also think about um, I was thinking in 2 Corinthians when Paul was talking to the church and he was speaking about the false prophets, and he literally said there were people who were peddling the word of God, right? They were using the word of God for their own purpose and their own gain. So when I'm looking at content, when I'm trying to filter my feed, again, is this producing good fruit or is this something for selfish motives? And it really seems simplistic, but it all goes back to the word of God. Like we literally have to filter everything that we do through this because this is our path. Like this is our guide. Um so it helps to see: should I cut this off? Should I cut it on? Should I just walk away and just read the path, right? Should I just go here to begin with?

SPEAKER_03 10:21

Yes, yes, yeah, yeah. And um, I think we have to just be in tune with this too. That you know, it says had his word in your heart. And so um, the more you do that too, the more you'll see stuff. And and I think a lot of us deep down we know. As soon as we come across something, you know, we're like, uh you start to feel a little funny. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:38

Um, and so if we can just be more in tune with that and then take it here, um some of us though, I think too, unfortunately, don't know, which is why we're going to social media because we're looking for a word or answer or encouragement that's really found here, yeah, which is why I think like the community in reading your word is so important. Because on social media, people can create themselves to be these experts and influencers, right? And they're leading people astray, which is why it's so scary to me. Because you have, I think about the one, right? Like Jesus went after the one, the person that's seeking and they're looking. And because this person has a million followers or they have all these views on YouTube, they're taking that person's word as like holy grail. Yeah. And it doesn't line up, like you said, with the good fruit. So I look at it on both sides. Like, yes, there are some of us that deep down inside we do know, but then there's some of us that don't. And that's why my encouragement to them would be like, get in your word.

SPEAKER_03 11:46

Yeah, get in your word.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 11:48

Yeah, I was thinking about on the way here, like that um mission field side of social media, um, and how we do go and we find, you know, like you said, encouragement. Um, and there are speakers, you know, that I myself really enjoy listening to some of the stuff that they share. And um, and they would never have the reach that they do have, yes, you know, without it. Um, but I think like you're saying, when it starts to replace the the source, yes, um, is when it gets dangerous. And I don't even uh, you know, how do you check that?

SPEAKER_01 12:23

Well it's a hard one. It's a hard one. I'll speak for myself again, like even thinking back to when we're posting or when we're writing, build his kingdom, not your own, right? Or even in our pursuit to want to be relevant, like we still need to stay rooted in the word of God. So when we look at social media from like a mission-filled aspect, are we stewarding and shepherding the people that we're following, that are following us, that we're commenting on? Like when you were talking about in Luke, even I think in Matthew's version, it says we're gonna give an account for every word, but even take it into social media, everything you type, literally everything, good and bad. So when we think about using social media to build his kingdom, like it literally is just that constant reminder, Lord, is this drawing people closer to you? Yeah, or is it pushing them away? And then if I am gonna use it because it's just a tool, show me, help me to see how to do this again, so that it brings you glory.

SPEAKER_03 13:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:29

Um, and that again that it is producing that good fruit, that it is causing me to want to walk more by the spirit versus the flesh, like you said, and just doom scrolling and being angry and commenting on things because it just the enemy's very crafty. Um, and I think not to over-spiritualize it, but he's social media is becoming a tool that unfortunately is just causing all types of rifts and things going on.

SPEAKER_03 13:55

Well, and we I say we because you know I've been there, but we feel like um I think I put one of these in the questions, but we feel like we have to sh to say something. Yeah. Like um, we and it's it's hard not to feel that way. Um, it's hard not to feel like even as a Christian, well, I have a responsibility to put my voice in this mix. Um, and so weighing that is hard. It's and it is easy when you're behind a keyboard or a phone, and all you have to do is type out a few words and hit the button, and you've done your piece, you know. Um, how do you guard yourself from that? Again, I'm scared. So sometimes I'm like, I just don't even want to like get in a fight, you know.

SPEAKER_01 14:38

But yes. I mean, to your point, um, we do have a responsibility, but more than a responsibility to answer the questions, we have a responsibility to God. Yes, right, and to honor him first. And I think about in Colossians where he he's like, let your speech always be seasoned, right, with grace and salt so that you know how to respond. It literally is like a moment by moment, like, God, show me what my role is in this. Should I respond? Should I not respond? Is it um sending a direct message, right?

SPEAKER_03 15:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:13

How is this response going to show up later? Like when we think about what you just want to do. When we're not angry, when we're not angry, right? Or, you know, where you're saying in in Matthew, okay, later, if I have to give an account to this post, am I gonna be excited about this? Right. Am I gonna are are you gonna be pleased with this father? Yeah, okay. And um, there are questions that I think we because we feel like we don't want to over-spiritualize it or it's not that deep, but I were earned to say that it is. Yeah. Because it's it's not about us. Like we as believers are representing like the savior of the world in this space that is leaving this digital footprint. Um, and we need to know the word, right? Not just how to respond and what to say, but to ensure that we are reflecting and modeling Christ in a true way. And I think about Jesus himself, right? When he was confronted, he asked questions or he thought before he responded. Like, remember he took the stick, he's threw in the same. Um so I just think when we are responding, um, and when I say we, I mean us as believers, it God is holding us to um a different standard that I think sometimes we we don't really take into account um because it is it is serious.

SPEAKER_03 16:31

Yeah, because it, you know, we said it's like another world. Yes, and a lot of times we don't think of it that way. We're like, God's not in this, or like God's because some people, you know, they may not have those, you know, pastors or yeah, that mission field quote unquote side of of uh social media. Um and so it feels like, well, God's not in this, you know. But I I wrote that as like a prompt for this, and I myself was like, Where but where is he? And I think he's it's us. Yes. You know, obviously he is there, but we are ambassadors for him. So like we are called to be in this space in a in a in a certain way. Um, because some people want to just run from it too. Yeah. But I don't I don't know about you. I don't know that it's going anywhere. No, it's here to stay.

SPEAKER_01 17:17

Yeah, it's it's here to stay. And I think we have um a responsibility again as God is showing us and leading us, even in the age of like AI, right? Because there are voices and things that are showing up that is not even actually a human person. And I'm not anti, right? I work in that space, I deal with it all the time, but I think it's even more reason why we as believers have to show up, right? And be salt and light in these spaces. Um, and it's literally just asking God, like, what would you have me to do? It's it's that easy. Like show me, Lord, how I can better reflect you um in this space, whether that is not responding or responding, choosing to share or not to share. Um, yeah, but it it really just goes back to like being in God's word and in his presence and letting the Holy Spirit lead and guide us um so that again we can build his kingdom and not our own. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 18:21

Yeah, I'm gonna pull up a passage here. Um, the greatest commandment. Um I marked like my important ones here at the top. Like I was saying earlier, I could have read scripture this whole time and not said anything else after kind of studying this, but um in Matthew is where I'm at, uh 22, starting at verse 36. But this just came to mind as I was thinking about, you know, take social media out of the picture. What is what is God asked us to do? What does Jesus asked us to do? Um This is 36. Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law? And he said to them, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like this you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and prophets. Yeah. So what do you think about that before I say anything uh with regard to social media?

SPEAKER_01 19:22

I mean what we do in red letters, Jesus said. I know, right? I mean, it's it's one of those ones that's so simple and so hard at the same time. Like love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and then love your neighbor as yourself, right?

SPEAKER_03 19:42

And it is what it is, it is, right? It is and it should it um it's funny to think about almost because if we transfer this and we look at, like you're saying, if we look at our record, so to speak, do we see this? And um that second commandment, love your neighbor as yourself is what's happening in this world, yes, causing me to love my neighbor even more in real life. Um, because that is something I was thinking of too. Um people absorb. Um, we share content, you know. Uh just an example, someone sees it, comes across a video, and it is a testimony that just God is moving in their hearts through this testimony. But then they have to go to the real world, you know. Um, and so what do you think about that part? And again, uh that word responsibility keeps coming up, but I do feel like, you know, we do have that responsibility um to to bridge the gap. That's a good thing. To really to really um let what I'm consuming and let the videos I'm sharing and you know, all the posts I'm reading actually move me to do something. So walk it out. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

Um I think it really just comes down to like heart posture and motive. And and it's one of those questions where I can only answer for myself. Yeah, right, because we know what God is calling us to do individually. Like I can't look at you and say, Abigail, this is what you should do. Yeah. But if we're really doing our best to lean into the Holy Spirit and like not grieve his spirit, when we read his word, when we listen to the messages, when we come to church, when we go to connect groups and community, it should translate to to action. Like we should start to move. Um, and I guess what I'm trying to say is it's it's easier to share and post and send than to actually put your feet on the ground. Um because to your point earlier, we can hide behind a screen that I look at Jesus, right? He He went. Yeah. He sat with the people. Like Paul, he went, he said, he talked. So we have to get out of our own way and really just start to walk walk it out. Yeah. Just live versus post and share. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 22:17

And I would say too, um, if we see, because we talked about when do we speak, when do we not, in the realm of social media. Um, there's been a lot of times where I've come across something and felt that nudge to jump in. And but then I was like, no, I I don't think, like you're saying, I don't think um what I would have to add is going to be glorifying to God, or I don't think this is my space right now. But it has caused me to think of how can I move how I'm feeling about this out of it.

SPEAKER_02 22:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 22:46

Um, and so, you know, I think that looks like serving um, you know, the community. We we get upset about a lot of things online, but then we forget about it after we turn our screen off. Um, and so really living out that, like you said, it you can't really add or take away from what he said. Love your neighbor um as yourself. And so let some of these things that you maybe you're getting worked up about uh really allow the Lord to move in those moments. Um, it's not a bad thing to feel that like righteous anger or yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:22

Yeah, but and even you just said something that made me think about it. It I think it also requires removing our pride, right, and humbling ourselves enough to have the hard conversations about the things that sometimes make us angry on social media because again, we're looking at this small little piece. Right. And your feed is being filtered to further fuel the things that you're passionate about, whether it's good or bad, right? I love home decor. For some reason, I keep getting all these ads about all the stuff you should buy. Right. So it's not, again, I don't want to be cynical and feel like, oh, social media, because I'm on it, I use it. Yep. Um, however, to your point, moving beyond like ourselves and getting in and like digging in in the uncomfortable places, I think could also be helpful because you can't tell a whole story by one quick post. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:17

You you can't as good of a storyteller as you can be. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:20

It's like, hey, let's just sit down and have the conversation. This is where I'm feeling hurt. This is these are things that I don't understand, help me to understand, right? Versus just sitting behind a computer and just feeding yourself with more content that just is going to move you further and further away from what I think Christ wants us to.

SPEAKER_03 24:40

Yeah. Yeah. You made me think about what you just said. Um, what do you think that's doing to our relationships in our day-to-day life? Because I think it is affecting. It is.

SPEAKER_01 24:52

It is. Um, the book that I was just sharing with you is really good. Scrolling ourselves to death. It was saying how we are becoming a generation that just wants to be entertained and consumed by content versus being in community that's actually good and shepherding our souls. Um, and it's it really hurts me, right? Because when you think about social media, originally it was created because it was trying to build this community, but honestly is starting to isolate us. That's just my I'm sure I can find some facts to back it up at some point. Yeah. But I just feel like it's it's it's isolating us, right? Because we're able to sit in our little corners and create filters and feeds that show us what we want to see. Um, but that's not what the word in the gospel shows us. He's saying go out and and make disciples and make requires action. It's it's a verb where we need to be in community with one another.

SPEAKER_02 25:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:56

Um, so while I do believe that there are good things for social media, unfortunately it, I think it also is doing us a disservice.

SPEAKER_03 26:04

Yeah. Yeah, we just went to um, I say we, the team leads for Kids Quest and myself. Uh, we went to the children's pastorage conference, and there were so many moments and statistics, like you're saying, in a lot of these classes about our new generations um and how they genuinely don't even know how to really function without it. Yeah, and have a conversation. And um, and it is because it has been made easier. I'll y I'll even throw texting in there. Like instead of calling somebody, yeah, I'm gonna just text you. And I'm guilty of it. Yeah, like that's for sure me. And and I might not even text you. I may just like, yeah, I may forget or whatever. Um, but we we it's been made easy for us not to have any face-to-face conversations if we don't want to. Yes. Um, and so it has become the skill now to step away from the screen and go speak to somebody. Um, and so yeah, I think you said community um is really like the antidote for that. Yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 27:03

And I think that is also for myself and when I'm talking to like my friends, a cue or like a signal when it's time to step away from the phone for a while, right? If you have not actually talked to someone in a while, right? If you find yourself, I had a friend, she shared something with me. She's like, I posted it online. Like, I'm your friend. You didn't call me and tell me, right? That's a that's like a clue that it's time to tap in. Like, because it's so easy just to just isolate, and because you feel like you're watching from a distance or consuming content online, that you're connected, if you actually haven't sat down with someone face to face and they're able to actually see what's going on in your life, like that's a clue that maybe you're consuming too much content. Yeah, and it's time to step away because all through our scripture we see community. Like I just I just think about like Jesus and during his time, like right, would he be posting? Yeah, or would he actually be sitting at the table? Yeah, yeah, having conversation with um with others. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:14

We were doing the Sermon on the Mount with the kids, and yeah, just thinking of that image of like he's like, however, many of you like come hear what I have to say. And um, yeah, he was very relational in his in his teaching. And um, and we I think just have a skew sometimes that and I'm I'm including myself every time I say we, um uh that like that's how we're gonna teach and that's how we're gonna minister. And yeah, um, and it is a huge part of it now in the world that we live in. Um and so how do we treat it like as a mission field? I know we've kind of hit on a couple of those things, but um, I would argue, and I forget about it all the time, that it's just as much a mission field as going overseas or you know, serving at church on Sunday or whatever. Um, how do we how do you do that?

SPEAKER_01 29:04

Um I think I would say, like I was saying earlier, it's a tool, right? And am I am I using this tool to build his kingdom and not my own, right? And even as I'm using this tool, am I using it again to stay relevant or to make sure that I'm rooted, but pointing the world to him, right? The motive, is it about glory for myself or glory for God? Because it's it's like everything else, it's a tool, but is the tool pointing to Jesus? He said, if I be lifted up, I will draw all men to myself. So I use that as a question in how I filter again if I'm writing for a particular publication, if God is placing something on my heart to to and I I have this tension with it, right? Because I'm I'm in it and I'm like, God, I don't really want to do this. Yeah, but to your point, he reminds me it's not uh it's not about you, right? This is a mission field. There are people that are using and going to social media, and you have an opportunity to let my light shine through you to point people through me. So I just always keep that in the back of my mind. It's it's like a worship song. It's a tool, right? Yeah, a means to point us to Jesus. It's you do a great job with the kids, right? It's a tool you use to point people to Jesus. So I think when we look at social media again, whether it's a podcast, whether it's an Instagram post, if it's a comment that I'm gonna reply to for something, is this pointing to Jesus?

SPEAKER_03 30:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:42

And am I building your kingdom and not my own? And also not feeding like our need to be necessary because everyone, everyone is like, that's the thing to be an influencer now, right? So is this again about you and applause and getting all the likes, or is it about, I just want someone to see Jesus. If or if this helps one person, the one, dig a little deeper or want to go look at your word. Because to your point, there are a lot of people that I love to follow online, but what I love about them is that they point me to Jesus. Yeah, it's not, oh, they're so great. Some of them, you know, they're my best friends in my head. But when I'm finished listening to their podcast or seeing a post, it it sparks a particular curiosity that makes me want to dig deeper. So I think when we consider using social media in the mission field, it's a tool to again build his kingdom and not our own.

SPEAKER_03 31:43

Yeah, that's a good word tool to like think of it more as that rather than like a necessity or you know, like a yeah, yeah. Um, and I think too there's a lot of boldness that comes with doing what you just said that is almost the same as boldness in evangelizing or, you know, like going again overseas. Yeah. Um, because it's funny how much I'll I'll use the word scary. Scarier scarier it is to post about going to church that Sunday when you know all of your friends are not doing that um than sharing a book you liked or you know, the outfit that you loved. That stuff's so easy. Because it's like um like your shirt today. I began to and everyone's doing it. And and those are also not the things that people, you know, I'll I'll go here, but they're not the posts people are having arguments on. Yep. Um, and so it's it is bold and it is scary um to want to be a person who speaks truth and glorifies God. Yes. So um that's something I pray about, you know, for myself too, that the the boldness to do that. Um and the the seeds to be planted. Yes. Um, like you were just saying, um, not only that someone would come across, not even my stuff, but just something on social media that would bring them closer to God, but that would bring them out of where they are and into something else. Um because we we should pray that that's not where it ends. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 33:11

Absolutely. And I think it's also too um it's a level when I think about it for me of accountability as well because writing for certain publications or posting a certain thing, I know that there are people that know me.

SPEAKER_02 33:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:28

Right. Yeah. And they're like, hey, okay. Um to make sure that my life is it speaks on online and in the real world, right? Um so I think it also just kind of brings that level of accountability um to show, okay, I'm trying to reach the one, but if you bear off a little bit to the left, it's like, hmm, are you sure about that? Yeah, yeah. Did that glorify God? Right. What what was the motive with this this particular post? Um, so I I think about that a lot um as as well. That because it's out there.

SPEAKER_03 34:07

It is, yeah, it is out there.

SPEAKER_01 34:10

Um and there are people that they're watching for good reasons, and then there are people that unfortunately watching for the bad reasons, but I just always go back to Lord at the end, the heart posture. The motive, Lord, is to glorify you. Um, and we just have to be obedient and leave the results to him, right?

SPEAKER_03 34:30

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'll um I'll kind of say too, like back to the community piece, the accountability and having somebody in your life that you do have face-to-face conversations with, yes, um, that does, you know, know what you do online or that you can talk to about that, that is a good sounding board for like, hey, I notice you're posting every meal you eat and every, you know, like, and that seems to be a source of comfort for you or whatever. Um, to be able to have somebody like that who can help kind of because you said earlier when we started, a lot of people aren't aware. Um, and so sometimes it does take somebody from on the outside um to to be able to say that. Um, but again, that's hard, that's a hard face-to-face conversation to have. Um, so finding community centered around God's word um can really help move us to that. Yeah. Yep. Yeah. Well, any other thoughts that we haven't hit about this? I feel like we did a little crash course here.

SPEAKER_01 35:29

But yeah, no, I mean, I think just to sum it up, like you said, social media, it's not bad. Like we're not saying, oh, go get rid of all your social YouTube.

SPEAKER_03 35:39

I learn a lot from social media.

SPEAKER_01 35:41

So do I.

SPEAKER_03 35:42

I'm trying to learn how to sew right now. Yeah, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 35:44

Awesome. Um, but what I ask myself is if I find that I'm posting more or I'm consuming more content than I am the word of God, then it might be a clue that it's time to step away. Yeah. Right. If you physically feel angry, tired, overwhelmed, like that is a clue that maybe you're consuming too much content. If you're picking up your phone first thing in the morning because you want to see what someone is posting about, or if you're going to a particular person because you want to get their perspective on something before you access the word of God, like those are all clues that maybe it's time to um step away for a little bit. And I just keep thinking about proverbs like guard your heart. Yeah. Because from it flow the issues of life.

SPEAKER_03 36:37

So it's good. Well, thank you for uh having this conversation and um yeah, sharing a little bit about how we both navigate it. But uh, like we know, it's gonna be everyone's journey is different. Yes. Um, but yeah, hopefully this was helpful.