Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. (Proverbs 17:27)

I think I may have shared these before, but with the popularity of social media, I felt like it might be good to do so again. Whether I or you like it or not, social media is here to stay. Christians around and among us are using it for a myriad of reasons every day. If that’s not you then congratulations on your resolve. However, for those who do use social media let me suggest a few biblical rules for us to follow:

• Be careful before you hit send (James 1:19-20; Proverbs 10:19; 15:2; 21:23). Could your message be taken the wrong way? Does this need to be kept private? Will it needlessly offend someone? Does it build up the Church or tear it down?
• Don't vent anger (James 1:19-20; Ephesians 4:26-27; Proverbs 14:29; 29:11). Don't air family problems or church issues online. If you're angry at someone, go speak to them personally. The rest of us don't need to know. If there is a church issue, go speak to the elders.
• Never lie (Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9-10; Revelation 21:8). And embellishment is the same as lying.
• Don't glorify self (Matthew 6:5, 7, 16; Proverbs 25:27; 26:12). Hide the good you do. Advertise what is done for you. Give glory to God instead.
• Watch out for ungodly influences (1 Corinthians 15:33; 2 Timothy 2:16-18; 2 Peter 2:18-20).  Beware of worldly ideas, false teaching, filthy language, dirty jokes, and gossip.
• Don't let this become an addiction (1 Corinthians 6:12). It can easily take over your life if you're not careful.
• Use social networking for God's glory (Mark 16:15; Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6; Matthew 5:14-16). There are so many positive ways we can use this new media. Let's use it to advance God's cause, not the Devil's.