Click Bait
Click bait is a daily reality for those of us who go online. Everyone is vying for our attention. The algorithms quickly figure us out and give us what we want. Before we know it we are stuck in our own echo chambers viewing the world through a reality that we created. The reason I bring it up is because whether we want to admit it or not we are being influenced by the click bait we respond to. As followers of Jesus we should be on a mission to see the world the way Jesus saw it and still sees it. Jesus was not influenced by the world but rather was on a mission to save the world.
Unfortunately, click bait tends to play to the darker side of our curiosity. Did you hear the latest about Beyonce? Guess what Gavin Newsom thinks about people who go to church? What did Trump say to Obama at Jimmy Carter's funeral? Are undocumented aliens stealing your tax money? I could go on but you get the idea. The minute we read something or watch something negative about someone or a group of people we are tempted to make a judgement call that will affect our ability to see them the way God sees them.
In Romans 12:2 (NLT) it says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of the 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.”
I’m not suggesting that we stick our heads in the sand. It’s important to know what’s going on in the world around us so we can know how to pray and respond to the ever changing situations around us. When I meet someone I don’t know, I don't want my opinion of them to be influenced by click bait or even your garden variety gossiper. Jesus met people with no particular bias because he saw all people the same. I once heard someone say we should always think the best of people unless they give us a reason to think otherwise.
Although I hated the covid years I learned a lot about myself. People were fiercely polarized about everything from politics to masks to churches being open or closed. I found myself judging people based on their opinions and certain behaviors I didn’t agree with. It was during this time that I began to realize how judgemental I had become. Of course there was lots of click bait out there to reinforce my thinking, there always is.
If God is going to change the way we think we need to do all we can to be more intentional about what we allow our minds to be exposed to. It’s still early in the new year. What if we made a concerted effort to think differently than we did last year and allow God to transform our minds? I dare you!
Stay blessed,
Steve