Is Your Faith Insta-Worthy? Living a Life That Speaks Louder Than Selfies

Our world has elevated appearance over substance. Social media has led the way. We are constantly bombarded with filtered and curated content that portrays life filled with nothing but supermodel beauty and exhilarating adventure.

No real person living a real life can compete with this fictitious vision of reality.

This fakeness has crept into the Christian world as well, but social media amplifies what has always been true.

Adam and Eve’s response to disobeying God was to cover up their shame and hide. We have been following their lead ever since.

The consequences of our self-imposed isolation are significant. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us, “He who is alone with his sin is utterly alone.” (Life Together)

Unfortunately, the non-negotiable prerequisite for spiritual growth is honesty and vulnerability. We have to bear our whole selves before God and others. The apostle John warns us of the cost of hiding and the promise of confession; he says,

‍“If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6–7)

‍Adam and Eve hid from God for the same reason we present fake versions of ourselves online: we believe that if people saw who we really are with all our faults, they would never love and accept us.

So we project and hide.

This all stems from a crippling deficit. Our deepest desire is to be fully known and fully loved. Only Jesus can do that.

The Apostle Paul confirms this in one of the most remarkable statements in the Bible, he says,

‍“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).

That is stunning!

The perfect, Holy creator God of the universe was willing to sacrifice what was most precious for our sake, knowing that I would continue to sin all along.

That is the definition of fully known and fully loved!

As we receive this gift and allow it to permeate our being, we are increasingly liberated from the need to hide from God and others.

This allows us to share the good, the bad, and everything in between. In other words, we will be authentic. Ironically, the most successful social media and internet influencers embody genuine authenticity.

So if you want to have a faith that is Insta-Worthy and speaks louder than selfies, surrender your life fully to Jesus and embrace the freedom He alone can give you!