Social Media: Whose Approval Are We Seeking?

Teens and young adults spend many hours interacting with others on social media. But what are our motivations for our interactions on social media?

In the last decade, social media has exploded, giving us the ability to share, post, tweet and like to our heart’s content. Millions of photos, status updates and videos are posted every hour of the day. It seems like some want to create a play-by-play broadcast of their latest accomplishments, vacations, extravagant purchases or simply the latest selfie. Then there is the constant craving to go back to view how many likes, shares and retweets we have received from a photo posted 53 seconds ago or from an elegantly designed put-down left in a comment.

We tend to do these things to get the approval of others. But it is important that we consider whose approval we should actually be seeking.

Approval comes from God

Instead of seeking the approval of others or trying to impress them, we should be seeking God’s approval. The Bible tells us: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

If we are trying to be approved by God, we will spend more time doing the things that please Him—not other people. We should seek to be approved by men primarily by our relationship with God (Romans 14:18). Others will see firsthand if our conduct exemplifies our constantly striving to live by God’s standards.

How can we present ourselves acceptable to God?

• By upholding the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17).
• By displaying the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
• By always putting God before ourselves and others (Acts 5:29).

Before you decide to share, post, tweet etc., take a moment to examine yourself. What is your motivation for doing this? Are you posting a photo of yourself in an attempt to gain approval from others? What motivates your craving to check how many likes, shares and retweets your post has received? In 2 Corinthians 10:18 the apostle Paul is addressing the Corinthians regarding boasting and comparing themselves to others: “For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.”

Will we seek God’s approval of what we say and the way we live, or the approval of our friends on social media?

To learn another danger of social media use, read “Don’t Be All About Your Selfies!”