Do you know the potential risks and pitfalls of posting your life on social media?
We all need to be aware so we can make informed choices. Everything has pluses and minuses attached to it. The only thing that we do not have to worry about is Jesus Christ and the Bible which is God’s answer to all of our questions.
So, let’s take a look at some pitfalls:
1-Vulnerability to predators and opportunists. People with the best intentions can open themselves up to schemes of the enemy. We all know the enemy is out there trying to kill, steal and destroy your soul. By putting too much information about your life, your family and yourself out on social media, you open yourself up to sexual predators and frauds. These people roam social media looking for targets.
2-Invisibility….a potential for secrecy. You think you can say and do things and no one will know it’s you. That’s when the enemy sneaks up on you! You think it’s harmless, but evil is always lurking around the corner. But are you truly invisible? I think not! God sees everything. You may not like the repercussions that come along with your choices. Do you really want to take a risk that could jeopardize your family or your soul?
3-Privacy is another risk. Once you put something out on social media, you have no way of controlling forwards and/or second-postings. You could hurt someone without even knowing it! make sure what you post is always pointed to God.
4-FRIENDS is a big potential catastrophe. You think because you met them on social media and you’ve been talking to them for a while that you know them. But are they truly friends? All you really have is an artificial “virtual” link to another person. There is nothing genuine about them. It is all an illusion. Even if you have done live meetings with them does not mean you know them. So many times I have heard about people hooking up with someone on social media only to find out that they were using a person to get what they wanted like money, a free ride to the states, a foot in the door to your business, etc.. PLEASE be careful. Go to God and ask Him to show you if this is really from Him. Our Father will always protect His children. However, He will do things to teach you a lesson He wants you to learn. It might be a really HARD lesson and you may not like how it ends. Just know it is for your good.
5-Virtual Reality vs. Actual Reality is another trap people get caught up in. If what you are doing online in social media is a fantasy life, there is a danger of living in a dream world and not in real life. You think it is all fun and games, but it hurts the people you love because they cannot live up to it. Get in the Bible which is God’s word. He will take you where He wants you to be. He will show you as you spend time with Him the steps you need to take!
So, what can you do to keep these things from happening to you, you might ask? Here are a few suggestions:
You and your spouse/family can begin by drawing up an agreement for the family to govern social media. You can call it whatever you want, like Social Media Agreement for the Smith family. It doesn’t matter what you name it. Ask God what He wants you to call it. He would be overjoyed to help you name it…lol!
Next ask yourself…What do I want to see on my social media? Who do I want to engage with on social media? You can limit features and block unwanted searches to help keep you invisible to the larger social media communities.
Limit your time on social media is a BIGGIE! Try putting up boundaries, like not cell phones at the dinner table; or family time after the dishes are all cleaned up to share how your day was and have everyone share their day. You must lead by example just as Jesus did for us! Disconnecting and spending time away is a GREAT plan and God can use you to bring your family closer together. Teach each other how to read God’s word….the Holy Bible app that has lots of great plans that you can utilize for this time. Then, get all family members involved and ask, What is God saying to you about this? If you record it, you can transcribe it and put it on the family message board for all to see. This is a fabulous way to remind everyone that God does talk to them!!! It is so important to always look to our Father for direction. 
Last, I leave you with this: There are internet apps that can help you limit what your family sees. FamiSafe-Parental Control features kids’ screen time limiting, app blocker, website filtering, gam/porn blocking, suspicious photos detecting and suspicious text detecting on social media apps like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and more.
Covenant Eyes helps with quitting porn. You invite someone you know and trust to hold you accountable and see your device activity. When you allow someone to see how you are using your devices, it changes how you use them.
Nothing takes the place of going to God. Let that be your first step. Then do your due diligence and research what will help everyone in the family including yourself live a healthy and happy life.
If you are in need of assistance, reach out to info@unitymarriageministry.org. We would be honored to help you. Our Prayer Wall is for any kind of prayer. It does not need to be about marriage. REMEMBER:
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU!
