Posting: What is a Christlike Response?

It is easy in this digital age for everything to get posted as quickly as the idea comes to us. But to be prudent, we must think before we act, especially when it comes to the internet. This is the age where everything can be posted instantaneously. However, God does not want us to instantly post harsh and hurtful comments. It offends God when we do not consider others when sharing things online. For example, posting embarrassing moments of others may become viral, but this is seen as hurtful in the eyes of God.

Another point I want to mention is there is such a thing as posting too much, but never a thing as posting too little. It is important that we make time for the “real” world and are not always engaging in life behind a screen. Yes, it is wonderful to capture memories and connect with others we cannot see regularly, but God wants us to stay present and focus on bringing the Heart of Christ to the person in front of us. 

Speaking of the Heart of Christ, I think it is important to note that with every post, like comment, or share we make, we must be like Jesus and ponder whether this post best shows God’s love. 

Listed below are a few Sacred Scripture verses on God’s Love I think we should all keep in mind, especially in how we treat others whether in person or online. 

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.

John 15: 9-17 The New American Bible The New American Bible – IntraText (vatican.va)

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5: 43-48  The New American Bible – IntraText (vatican.va)

If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:1 The New American Bible – IntraText vatican.va).

Ultimately, think about how compassionate and understanding Jesus’ Sacred Heart is before you hit that send button. We must remember that the Spirit of God dwells within us all. As always, we should have in the forefront of our minds, “Is this a Christlike response?”