Living For Likes

This season has been a very unique experience as we continually expand our ministry to be primarily centered on social media outlets and video recording. It’s been six months at this point since we have had an in-person congregation and in order to reach our people, we have been using Facebook, YouTube and emails to connect. It’s not our first choice or preference for ministry for sure, but it is the best option we have under the circumstances.

I’ve mentioned in these posts previously how I’ve come to gain a whole new set of technical skills and I am thankful for them. But too, as I spend more time ministering on social media, I’ve noticed something else creeping into my thoughts that I’m not so thankful for: looking for ‘likes.’

And that got me thinking about how we live our lives. What kind of engagement are we looking for - surface level stuff, or real, deep and meaningful experiences? Are we simply living for likes from others? Who are we really trying to please?

In his letter to the Galatian church, Paul spells out his desire explicitly: “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant” (Gal 1:10 NLT).

I think if God were able to click the ‘like’ button of our lives, it would mark those times when we sought after Him, served others, and lived out His love to those around us. When we live according to His will and allow His Spirit to transform our lives from the inside out, we become a living and holy sacrifice to Him - and God has no greater desire for our lives than for us to know Him, and to make Him known.

Paul continues in his letter to the Romans, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Rom 12:1-2 NLT).

And so, As Christians I think we need to worry less about what our friends ‘like,’ and focus on pleasing God first and foremost. Besides, why should we be content with fleeting ‘likes’ from others, when we can experience God’s perfect love.

May we always remember, “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor 13:13 NLT), ‘likes’ aren’t mentioned anywhere…

Blessings friends,

Fred