31-Day Phone Challenge - Day 11

 

Most of us would not eat dinner out of the garbage can. It might contain some morsels of good food, but when it is mixed with garbage, it becomes defiled.

But what are we feeding our mind online? There is lots of good information online, but it is mixed with lies and deception. Unfortunately, anyone can write anything online. Many people purposely or unintentionally spread misinformation.

When I first got email, I forwarded an interesting email to friends. You can probably guess what happened. I found out the email was an urban legend. After a few similar mistakes, I learned to check one of the online sites such as Snopes.com to fact check. But it is hard to remember. A funny gif, viral video, or disturbing meme is so easy to share. It is almost impossible to avoid rumors, gossip, and outright lies online.

Social media doesn’t care about accuracy. They care about clicks. And the more sensational and controversial the post or video, the more it is remembered and shared—even if it is not true. Outrage gains our attention—and the goal of social media is to grab, and keep, our attention.

We must compare what we read and hear to God’s Word and to reliable information. But if we are spending far more time on social media than in God’s Word, how will we know truth?

Today’s Challenge: Read Psalm 1. How can we be like that well-watered tree? How can we avoid being wind-blown chaff?