Social media has shown me that many people need the psychological boost that comments, likes and follows bring them on social media. Of course, there are other reasons for coveting such things (making money, spreading a message), but the primary one in non-commercial postings is validation and expressions of love and support.
This is not new! Paul addressed it several times in his letters. Consider his words to the Corinthians. “Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:1-3).
Efforts to gain support and sympathy, whether through social media, letters, emails, speeches, etc. ultimately have no legitimate merit. If such help in the area of acceptance, praise and support, they nevertheless have no bearing on the rightness or wrongness of the person being supported. Put it this way, an evil man can have as much such support as a good man. This is demonstrated clearly in politics. Partisanship will allow the politician to locate a group that is fully supporting him, while another group would not. Interestingly, on social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) online friends often even praise evil.
As Paul noted, the one doing right does not need (nor did Paul want), this type of commendation. Paul did not seek it. There were plenty who would offer it, but it had no bearing on the rightness or wrongness of his ministry and efforts. That was based entirely upon the impact he had upon the hearts and faith of those he ministered to.
In this, the standard is not subjective. For the one who is questioned about his morality, it is whether he is abiding by God’s will in these matters. For the one questioned about his character, it is whether he is truly one who has been changed and follows the dictates of God’s word. For the teacher, it is whether he is teaching truth or error, not whether some who hear him like or do not like him. Remember Paul’s words to his friend Timothy, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
The support (or criticism) Paul received had no bearing on whether he was pleasing to God. His only concern was whether he was actually faithful to God, as revealed in 1 Corinthians 4:1-5. “For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord” (4:4). Something to think about!
