What is the heart behind what you do? Said another way: Are the things I’m doing and talking about only said or shown because I am wanting to bring attention to people I’m with and the things I get to do?
I can tell you, every week, I fail in this area in some way. Maybe it’s a certain picture I want to post so others can see a popular person I get to be around. Maybe it’s sharing about something awesome I got to do or be a part of. I’m not saying we all stop sharing pictures and sharing things we get to do, that’s the purpose behind social media: to share any part of our lives that we want to share with people who follow us. But, what’s the reason behind what we’re sharing? Are we generally excited and happy about what transpired, with the intention to encourage or uplift others? Or, is it for more likes, more popularity, more clicks, more “look who I get to be with, and who you don’t get to be with”, or more attention on ourselves?
I want the why to be the lense I use when looking at what I am doing, or sharing, or posting, or talking about.
When disciples were asking Jesus who the greatest in the Kingdom was, and Jesus called a child to him and said something entirely different than what any of them were expecting: “anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matt 18:4 NLT)
It’s so easy to share things for the wrong motives; and, if I’m honest, when I do it, it’s really just my own pride. It’s part of the reason why I don’t think badges or titles should matter, unless they’re strictly used to bring honor to someone – like people on an executive team. Otherwise, who are we really building up? Probably just ourselves.
My goal, and I believe our goal as Christians, should be to be more like children: Loving people with a naivety of title, position, and rank.