If Jesus Had an Instagram

If Jesus had an Instagram, He would not be obsessed with the number of his “followers” (nor would he have this number memorized). In fact, many of Jesus’s followers turned away and left him when his preaching of God’s truth became too tough to stomach.

If Jesus had an Instagram, He would not allow the number of “likes” on one of his “selfies” to determine his worth. Jesus’s identity was not wrapped up in his appearance, but was rooted and grounded in his Father’s undying love for him.

If Jesus had an Instagram, He would not view or post inappropriate or erotic pictures. To Jesus, people were not objects to be gawked at but precious beings created in his Father’s image.

If Jesus had an Instagram, He would not post an excessive number of “selfies”. Instead, his pictures would capture how God’s presence can bring joy and new life into this sad, old world. He would post a picture of the smiling children who often gathered around him. He would post a picture of Lazarus, wrapped in burial cloths and walking out of death’s tomb alive. He would post pictures of the stillness of that sea right after He calmed it and the peacefulness of that mountaintop as He prayed on it. He would post fewer pictures of himself, and more of the beauty of others and the world around him.

And finally, if Jesus had an Instagram, He would not allow it to dominate a significant amount of his time. He had only a short time to bring God’s Kingdom to earth, and so do we. There are people to teach and encourage, mouths to be fed, and love to be spread. Jesus would know there was simply too much work to be done to have his nose buried in a glowing, rectangular screen all the time.

*In addition to my own experience, this post is also inspired by two excellent articles on Instagram which you can read here and here.