How does that Relate?

Confession.On Wednesday I wrote a post that I shared here and on my church newsletter about the certainty we have in uncertain times (you can read that here). I used a picture I took at the grocery store as the image at the top with a part of the verse added. It was this picture here:I had noticed all of the grocery stores had added these kinds of markers to help maintain distance. I had a whole illustration I planned to use about how one-way signs give everyone certainty as long as everyone uses them.But then as I began to write, I completely forgot to include that illustration. But the picture remained. Unconnected, unrelated, kind of useless.It was later that evening that I realized what I had done. Too late to fix, but I wondered if anyone stopped to wonder, "How does that relate to the story?"There is a lot of content flying around us today. Truth be told, there has been for a long time. Social media and the internet allow a million people to say a billion things and everyone is competing for attention. (Hey look, you're reading one of those billion things right now!) Add that to what different news and media companies add to the mix alongside politicians from every side trying to spin the narrative and our heads can get pretty noisy.The truth is, most of that information is like my "one-way" image. Unrelated to the real story.Is the virus real? Is the crisis over-blown? Is party A benefitting from this? Are our rights being encroached upon? Is the government helping or hurting?(disclaimer: What follows is not a suggestion that these are not matters of importance... but...)For the follower of Jesus Christ, how important are those answers really? Do they help us love our family, our neighbors, the lost any better? By reading an obscure "news" piece and then sharing it which criticizes this side or that, are we drawing attention to what matters most?There are some good reasons to be thoughtful about what we take in and share.First, we want to be sure we are not being gullible or bearing false witness. Ed Setzer wrote a great article to that effect which I highly recommend.Second, when our voice is diluted by anger, distrust, and joylessness, it becomes a real challenge to persuade people we are followers of a God who loves, restores relationships, and brings joy.And third, it doesn't help us or anyone else. Not to be flippant (but I guess I am a little), but tomorrow the government could revoke the constitution, war could break out around the world, we could find out the Coronavirus was all a publicity stunt gone wrong by a beer company, and every piece of toilet paper could catch fire and the mission of God's people wouldn't change.As dramatic and impactful as those things would be, they aren't related to the main story. They are distracting illustrations. Our call is to serve our king in love as a first and highest calling. So what story are you aiming to tell? What story matters most?Paul encourages the church at Philippi to focus their attention. May I suggest this makes a good filter before you decide to share?

Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.Philippians 4:8 CSB

Is it true? Am I sure?Is it honorable? Just? Pure? Lovely? Commendable?Let us be the anomaly on social media. Voices which "dwell" in hope and light among a throng of anger and despair.