Social networks can be very revealing.  There may be people who seldom go to a social network; and some who only go occasionally for whatever reason, but don’t linger.  But people who communicate on social networks will generally reveal what is in their hearts.

If fishing is in your heart- wouldn’t you expect to see a lot of talk about fishing?  If dancing, night clubs, partying, or the opposite sex preoccupies your heart, doesn’t that usually reveal itself?  Do you talk about love, peace, and tranquility?  Do you talk about your goals, dreams, or reaching for self-actualization?  Wouldn’t you expect your social network posts to reveal your religious convictions?  Do you support karma, zen, tao, fortune telling by the stars (horoscopes)?

There seems to be plenty of dating networks.  People show off new boyfriends or girlfriends, sometimes to make exes jealous, sometimes to boast to their exes, and sometimes just to infuriate their exes.  People even throw their new husbands or wives in the faces of their old husbands or wives for the sole purpose of making exes feel ‘somehow not good enough’ or even worthless.  The Bible teaches that God is against divorce, but allows it because He knows man’s heart is hard.  But even then, He has very strict rules about relationships.  But most people don’t care what God wants; they just find what they want, and try to make it sound like they are taking responsibility for something they messed up to begin with, and try to fix it by working around God’s will.

Look through all your social network posts to see what is in your heart.  Do you see family memories?  Do you see arguments with others?  Sometimes if people read their own posts, would they see how much they love others, or how much they love themselves?  How often do you see how much you love your Creator in your posts?

Are you a perky, little church-pew sitter?  Do you post about Jesus, God’s Word, and talking with God in prayer?  Are you publishing your spiritual blessings?  Do you see these blessings as spiritual in nature, or earthly, material blessings?  Are you doing as the Bible teaches and sharing those spiritual blessings with those who are spiritually weak?  Are you sharing earthly, material blessings with those who are poor and needy?  The Bible says that to whom much is given, much is expected.  Are you using your ‘much’ (whether spiritual much or material much) in the way God expects?

I was just talking with a friend who told me how a few years ago she was very well off financially, but she was taken advantage of, and lost her financial standing.  She said it hurt so much, and that’s very understandable.  But in time, she grew to accept that the Lord was taking care of her.  She doesn’t have much, but she thanks God that she has what she needs.  This shows growth in spiritual character.  Many would grow bitter and angry, and people could understand how that would be.  But to grow stronger, even when hurting and suffering shows how Christ can teach us true values in the midst of suffering in this world.  Even though she doesn’t have much for herself, she continues to do whatever she can to be a blessing to others.

Do you consider your blessings to be in being successful in business?  Did you become successful by hard work, being honest, treating customers and employees fairly?  Praise God and enjoy your blessings- still don’t forget that to whom much is given, much is expected.  That doesn’t mean giving away your blessings and living as a pauper, but ask the Lord to lay on your heart what He would have you to do.

Did you become successful by using cheap material, cheap labor, and taking undue advantage of others, and maybe weren’t quite honest about quality?  I believe you can be very successful in this world (depending on your definition of success) by being that way, because I believe that Satan is the prince of the power of the air and the ruler of this world.  Then there are people who became successful in the eyes of this world by being cheap and miserly, and their families did without while their business grew.  They put on a show of success in this world, but people may not realize how much their families sacrificed while the business was growing.

There was certainly a time when a large family was a blessing, because more children meant more help tending the garden, the herds, and the flocks.  These families grew with a healthy work ethic, realizing the value of hard work, and at the same time seeing the benefits of their labors in the growth of the gardens, herds, and flocks.  Nowadays there seem to be plenty of parents who treat their children as though they have no real place in this world; then when their children are grown, they take advantage of them by giving them jobs and treat them as cheap labor.

Sometimes people can learn a lot about life by exploring social networks, but real value is when what is on the social networks shows people how wicked this world is, and how much we need our Lord, our Savior, our King, Who will soon come and separate the wicked from those whose hearts seek after Him.  Just don’t use social networks to the point you neglect your Bible study, prayer time, and the good works that God has prepared for you.  What does your social network page tell the world about what you believe?