Social Media Isn’t All That New

By Maureen Pranghofer

Matthew 16:13-15 NLT

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

14 Well," they replied, some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."

15 Then he asked them, But who do you say I am?"

If you look at verse 14 in this conversation doesn’t it remind you of social media? We are always looking at what everyone is saying. And we talk about people who are absolutely opposed to us or we quote those we admire.

What is interesting to me is that Jesus does ask what folks are saying but He is most interested in what His disciples think.

And maybe this is something we can learn from, to ask people what they think, to be genuinely interested in what they have to say rather than what is popular, what everyone else is thinking about. I suspect if we asked people with a genuine interest that an openness and transparent honesty among people would increase and it would look like love.

Father, help me to be honestly interested in people individually in what they think. Not because I’m looking for someone to agree with me but to genuinely listen in conversations. In Jesus name, Amen.