It may sound like an unexpected choice, but when I think about using social media well one of my go-to inspirations is Ruth from the Bible.
Now, I understand why she might not make your list of top ten instagram influencers. Her circumstances weren’t very flashy. In a time of famine, unrest and uncertainty, Ruth’s story zooms in on a tiny, impoverished town: Bethlehem, nestled in the hill country of Ephraim, described by Micah as ‘small among the towns of Judah’. It wasn’t really an Instagram-worthy travel destination, but a place with little outward significance.
And Ruth was no social media royalty. When she arrives in Bethlehem from the neighbouring country of Moab she’s a widow, a foreigner, an outsider, so excluded from the community that she lives on its outskirts. She wouldn’t have amassed thousands of followers or paid partnerships.
But in spite of her circumstances and the 2500 year and technology divide, I think there’s a lot we can learn from Ruth’s story when we think about how to make the most of social media today.
Social media is all about telling our stories
On the surface, it feels incredible that the story of a marginalised, woman in a small, impoverished town, would be preserved in an account that we can hold in our hands today. I wonder who decided that her story was worth telling? Who passed it down from generation to generation, treasuring it until it could be enshrined in writing?
Who crafted it into the narrative we read today, drawing out the ways that each plot twist traces something of God’s story? Who called attention to the characters within it who reflect something of God’s character? In the time of Judges, when ‘everyone did as they saw fit’ (Judges 21:25), who noticed that this story was worth remembering, and retelling, because it points to the true and good and beautiful story of Jesus?
I think what Ruth’s story teaches us is that every story – no matter how insignificant it may seem – is worth telling. Not because of who we are, what exciting events happen to us, or what gorgeous locations we visit – but of because of the big, bold and beautiful God who shapes our stories.
Like Ruth, we can expect that as we encounter the gospel, it will shape our lives. From the moment we understand its significance and come to trust in Jesus, to the day-to-day demonstrations of self-sacrificial love – as we are shaped by God’s Holy Spirit, our lives point to the One who created and walks with us.
So why share?
God’s people have a history of recording, and telling, stories that praise God. The Psalms are full of exhortations to ‘Come and see what the Lord has done’ and ‘Sing the glory of His name, make His praise glorious’. (Psalm 66)
Telling stories about God brings him glory
Today’s widespread use of social media gives us a unique opportunity. In 2020, you don’t have to be a famous leader or a celebrity for your story to be told. We all have the opportunity to tell our own stories.
So how are we going to use this opportunity?
And as we tell our stories, there’s a real opportunity to demonstrate how they have been shaped by the God who made, holds and guides us.
Think about Instagram, for example. It’s more than just a photo sharing platform – it’s a place to build a profile and relate to a community. Not only is it totally normal to share snapshots of our lives, it’s also totally normal to use the platform – and its 2,200 character limit – to reflect on what these moments mean to us.
As we grow into the family likeness that God has bestowed on us, there will be events, attitudes and relationships in our lives that point to Jesus. Social media is set up for storytelling: could we share more than just a quick photo, and invite our friends and followers to hear our stories of lives shaped by a relationship with God?
But how do we keep our stories authentic?
The reality of a Christian life is that of a messy, imperfect sinner, saved by grace.
So should we fill our feeds with insta-perfect quiet times, beautifully inked Bible verses and stories of good deeds?
How can we demonstrate lives that echo the gospel without coming across as ‘holier-than-thou’? How can we preach on social media without sounding ‘preachy’?
How do we celebrate beautiful words and images without presenting a ‘highlights reel’?
How do we demonstrate the complex realities of our lives without oversharing online?
These are questions we each need to ask ourselves as we figure out what it looks like to relate to our friends online. But I think we can find precedent in the stories we read in the Bible: honest, compelling accounts of people interacting with God. So, digging into Ruth’s story, here are a few things I’ve found helpful to guide me as I post:
Social media is about people, who are all made in the image of God
Ruth’s story encompasses a whole range of human experiences: relationships, family, belonging. Whoever you are, there is something in Ruth’s story to connect with. Similarly, your life will be full of experiences and interests that you and your friends have in common. Use social media to share things that your friends will connect with.
God loves beauty – and so does Instagram!
Ruth’s story is beautifully crafted and told, even as it doesn’t shy away from darker moments. If you love Instagram for its beautiful words and visuals, let the way you tell your story bring glory to God through beauty, joy, excellence and abundance. And always remember that God, the creator of it all, is the one who calls his creation ‘good’ – not the number of likes or comments you get.
God values outsiders (is that you?)
How can your use of social media reflect the diversity of God’s creation, and the love He shows to all people – not simply the beautiful, or those who are similar to us, or even those we like? At the start of this story, Ruth is an outsider, a Moabite widow. Over the course of the book, she is radically included and accepted by Boaz: a character who models God’s overwhelming love for outsiders.
Does social media make you feel like an outsider? Or are online communities the only place you feel known and valued? Know that you are welcomed, loved and included by God – and let that free you to be yourself online and offline.
God values outsiders (is that other people?)
Perhaps you’re very much an ‘insider’, and your instagram feed is an echo chamber of people who look, think and live similarly to you. But social media is a great place to begin listening to, learning from and understanding people who are different to you. Could you follow someone new or take the time to listen to a different perspective?
One of the standout threads of Ruth’s story is the relationship between Ruth and Naomi – an intergenerational friendship between a Moabite and an Israelite woman. In Ruth’s story, friendship is not built on a shared background – it’s built on the knowledge that God created, loves and wants to know all human beings, and that humanity is what unites us.
Treat other social media users as those made in the image of God
As you like, comment, message and share, treat others well! Take the time to listen and understand, be humble and ready to apologise or change your mind if necessary.
In Ruth’s story, the way that Boaz treats Ruth with overwhelming kindness points towards a Saviour figure coming a few centuries later! We, too, can point to Jesus in our tone, words and actions.
Consider how you can be real online
It’s tempting for social media to be a highlights reel. But the Christian story is nothing without its journey through brokenness, suffering and pain.
Chapter one of Ruth is full of sadness and pain – so much so that it culminates with Ruth’s mother-in-law declaring: ‘“Don’t call me Naomi” (which means pleasant) … “Call me Mara” (which means bitter).’ (Ruth 1:20)
But the pain, regrets and hardship in this story lay a foundation for redemption, and every moment of suffering points to our need for a Saviour.
Whether or not you choose to use social media to share the harder parts of your life, acknowledge that life isn’t always sunny, and look for ways to build relationships and conversations with others.
Connect to something bigger
Ruth’s story centres around self-sacrificial love and to a ‘guardian-redeemer’ who embraces outsiders. Generations later, a descendant of Ruth and Boaz would turn out to be the Saviour God promised, and now, when we read their story, we read it in the light of knowing Him.
So when we tell our stories today, can we find a way to make the connection, for those that don’t know, from our life experiences to the God who sets the bar for love, triumph and beauty, who experienced loneliness, sadness and suffering, and who created, redeems, glorifies and renews it all.
Practically, that might mean avoiding Christian jargon, explaining a Christian concept or story, and taking the time to understand where others are coming from.
Use your influence well
Throughout her story, Ruth is guided by an older, wiser friend in Naomi. Could you find a friend who loves God and loves your social media community to read your posts, pray with you, and challenge you where necessary? Speaking God’s words of truth to build His Kingdom is a privilege – enjoy doing it with others!
Don’t be too quick to post.
It can be tempting to post a photo and wait for the dopamine-loaded likes to come flooding in. But we were designed to worship God, not ourselves! So when you see a beautiful sunset, appreciate a friend or need to work through something difficult, speak to God before you speak to the world about it.
There is grace
God sees every post we’ve ever written, every comment we’ve made, every message we’ve sent, and every thought we’ve decided not to articulate! He knows our unhealthy habits and the things we’d rather forget. He knows we don’t always get it right. And in the full knowledge of all of that, he loves, welcomes, forgives and transforms us. Take that as your starting point to step out into the online world for Jesus, your confidence to be humble and apologise when you mess up, and let this place of grace be the place that you return to again and again and again.
Joanna loves using writing and media to build community and start a conversation about big ideas. Right now her work focuses on business, the environment and society, and she’s previously worked with students exploring and sharing faith. She lives in Oxford, where lockdown hobbies include elaborate cooking and wild swimming.
