Is Jesus on TikTok?: A Social Media Study (Pt. 3)

Lesson 3: Scrolling along and evaluating information

Questions to consider:

When you start scrolling on your social media app of choice, what information/kinds of posts do you see?

What might the content YOU see say about you and your values and beliefs to others if they were to watch you scroll?

I am a scroller. I love opening Facebook and scrolling through my news feed to see what all of my “friends” are up to. I hardly ever comment, and in fact, that’s gotten me in trouble countless times because somehow that offends people, but I do enjoy the “Like” and “Love” buttons. I enjoy the occasional “test” of my name meaning, what color and meaning is associated with my inner character, my spirit animal, etc., even though most of the time my results are the same as the person whose post I get it from (I KNOW this, but I play anyway). Every now and then Google’s cyberstalking algorithms throw in an ad for a cool new product that I save to check out later.

I enjoy all of these things as connections with people I care about (what are my friends up to), and for the mindless entertainment of all the other things (games and products). It’s the same MO for Instagram. I do also share my church’s daily post and of course Hadassah Chron Ministries daily post.

For the past couple of months, though, my social media app of choice has been TikTok (I blame Lexi for this).

I’ve never posted anything, and I don’t think I ever will, but I am extremely amused, entertained, intellectually challenged, and given warm and fuzzies from the places my TikTok scrolling takes me.

The question is WHY?

“After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet” (Luke 7:24-26).

What am I on TikTok to see? My favorite posts are those that offer Biblical evidence in the form of direct quotations to combat someone from the world claiming something is not in the Bible; those that hold people claiming to be Christians accountable for what the Bible says they should be doing; those that make me question and think about my personal beliefs not only about the Bible, but about other topics as well; Dad jokes; and, to be completely transparent, people falling (though not when there is or appears to be serious injury).

I think my purpose is acceptable, but what would my scrolling tell someone else about me? This is a bit more complicated, as I am not quite sure how TikTok’s algorithms work (I just swipe up and a random video pops up - how is it chosen? There are a few people I follow, so maybe their videos pop up more than others?). In any case, I think this is more about what I stop to watch in its entirety and/or download to my phone.

“What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them (Matthew 15:11).

I don’t think there’s any harm in scrolling, but be vigilant! Remember Satan is always prowling looking for our weakness, and when our scrolling stops and we start to listen - therein lies the danger.

Questions to consider:

Whose social media posts do you believe? What social media posts do you believe?

How do you know who/what to believe?

It’s so easy to get caught up in the emotion of posts. Rants against the government, certain people, and God. We have become people who don’t want to take responsibility for our actions, and instead will go along with whoever tells us who else is to blame. We see posts by people who have letters after their names like M.D., and we blindly trust they are who they say they are and know what they say they know. We let our own emotions control us, and we let Satan turn our hearts and heads away from God because it’s easier.

How can we change and be different? How can we guard against Satan and his machinations? How can we safely utilize the positive side of social media and its connections to people and ideas without falling for Satan’s tricks? It’s actually quite simple, but it requires time and effort on our part. It requires us to saturate our minds and hearts with the Word of God.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).

“The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip” (Psalm 37:31).

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105).

When we are so immersed in the Word of God that we can easily spot false testimony, information, and people no matter how well they are disguised, we cannot be used for Satan’s purposes. We will know what’s real and what’s fake. We will know who speaks the truth about God and who is there to defile His name and lead others astray. Our scrolling, liking, and sharing will reflect that we are children of the Living God.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

Challenge Activity

When scrolling through social media this week, follow the THINK acronym for every post/video you see (especially the ones you believe).

T - is it true?

H - is it helpful?

I - is it inspiring?

N - is it necessary?

K - is it kind?

If the answer to any of these is no - scroll away!