5 Questions That Must Do Before You Post On Social Media

I was a freshman in college when Facebook came out and distinctly remember thinking, “Why do I need this? I have AOL Instant Messenger and MySpace! ”

Well, times have changed. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest , Instagram (and lots of other places I’m not cool enough to know about) have at the same time we were joined by more and more driven us apart. With the exception of a few universally offensive statements or images, is an unregulated area where we can interact with society, while accepting the minimum personal responsibility for the consequences of what we do.

In the absence of guidelines for the label of the media social healthy and educated, we were to determine our own limits to navigate the endless opportunities available to us.

Before faster A picture over our hot chocolate topped with a sheet of foam, maybe we would benefit from a brief pause-an extra 30 seconds to ask five simple questions might suggest it’s time to unwind, or at least reconsider when and how we use media social :

1. Am I seeking approval?

If you have taken a class in introductory psychology, you’ve probably heard of BF Skinner and operant conditioning. Skinner suggested we learn behaviors through reinforcement.

When I seek validation through something that the public and starts to appear red flag to notify each person give me attention, it is an addictive reward. And it works. I feel better, so keep coming back for more. The next time you need to feel approval, going back to the source pouring out the last time, and reinforcing the cycle continues.
What are the needs bigger ask to be found here? Perhaps it is the desire of the community. Perhaps it is due to a conflict unresolved with someone I love. Or maybe you just thrive on pleasing people and hear their praise. If your interaction with the internet is driven by a need for approval, consider healthier to address this issue and help strengthen choose unhealthy ways.

2. Am I playing?

No share the excitement and then you are bragging. In fact, each of us knows what field we fall into.

When the apostle Paul described what it meant to love others specifically mentioned that love is not boastful. This post is not “just a photo” or “just a tweet,” is an opportunity to love others in a way that reflects Jesus. Or is an opportunity to show something very different, something that seems nothing to Christ.

Examine your motivations and leave before using social networks as the adult version of show and tell.

3. Am I unhappy?

Are you looking for something “better”? If so, walk away. Nothing of what to read, write or do will solve this case.

Instead, ask yourself why you are dissatisfied and respond to those needs. When we see social media from a lens of discontent, what we find will be colored with bitterness and ingratitude. Their lives begin to look brighter than ours, while our lives take a sense of lack.

Do not forget, your world is so common as ours and our life is as exciting as theirs. Do you believe in your heart? If not, take a break. Deactivate your account for a couple of months. Create space to reassess and look for answers in places that will really find them. Stop making the virtual world to solve dissatisfaction with the physical.

4. Is this the right time?

When my son gets into my lap, he did not want me to take your photo and shoot it through Facebook. He does not care who else thinks I have a cute child. He just wants to hold it and see it. To feel his thick, soft and focus on how their eyelashes arms move when flashing.

When we interrupt lunch with a friend to quote your Twitter, invite hundreds of people in a conversation that might have been sacred; and miss the sweet memories that may have formed were his words were just the two of us.

Not every great moment has to be shared. In fact, some of the highlights are the private enjoyed.If we suspend this in an attempt to capture its beauty in 140 characters or less, we sacrifice our experience of time itself. Also rob each other of something that has been lost in our digital a handful of memories between us and those who are closer to, or even just between us and God keeping age.

5. Is it good?

Returning to Paul and his call to love. “Love is patient. Love is good. ”

Our culture tells us that it is our right to review everything, regardless of whom it was addressed to us and regardless of how it might affect others.

We have replaced the confrontation face to face with sharp derisive comments and memes. We write degrading tweets aimed at celebrities or openly criticize the people we have never met, hiding behind the convenience that can not defend themselves directly and nobody is putting our personal life on display for public criticism.

We are given enclosed space from which to launch grenades, without forcing us to take responsibility for the weight of our words, its effect on other people and their reflection on the Church. Jesus said that the world recognize us by our love. What messages are we sending?

A better way

Seems Media Social to be built around the idea that it can infiltrate nearly every part of our lives.And if we leave, that’s exactly what will happen. We are those who say if their scope becomes unhealthy.

As children, our parents place for our protection rules and adults we took on the task of caring for our own well-being and personal growth. It is our job to set limits and ask tough questions, tending to the bigger picture of our relationships and how our actions reflect the love of Christ to this world.

It is worth noting that these are questions we ask ourselves, not the criteria for interpreting and evaluating others. We can not know his heart more than you can know ours.

Let us pause and give us a moment to reflect-honest with what discernment, love and wisdom for each image and the word share.