READ: 2 John 12-13
12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
KEY THOUGHT:
No one likes a complainer. That also goes for anyone who is negative, judgmental, condescending… the list could go on and on. Knowing this, you and I must be careful about what and how we communicate so that others are not offended. The advent of instant messaging and social media makes what you communicate immediately accessible without any reconsideration; it is also available to a wider audience. This results in an onslaught of contentious, antagonistic, and in many cases hateful messages, sometimes transmitted unwittingly because little thought was given prior to posting them. It’s no wonder that many people who spend time scrolling through their social media feeds come away with a negative outlook.
A friend of mine recently began posting cute photos of animals on his social media platform in a small effort to combat the negativity. While such pictures might bring a smile for a moment, they don’t communicate the joy this world desperately needs. The apostle John, in the closing of his letter, writes that he plans to communicate so that “our joy may be full.” While John was planning to use face-to-face communication (such a novel idea today it seems), you have so many additional ways to communicate joy to others. Communicating joy means that you transmit the message of Christ. Whether it’s the Truth of the gospel or how God is working in your life, these are messages that communicate joy. What does your social media timeline communicate? Is it joy or something else?
CONSIDER:
- How can you communicate the joy of truth to others?
- What is the most important message that you can send on social media? Have you sent it?
- What steps can you take to ensure that the negative messages shared on social media don’t affect your walk with Christ?
APPLICATION:
Be a joy communicator!
