Big Brother

My family loves nothing better than to spend many of our evenings enjoying our favorite TV shows. The three of us are big on comedy, reality, and drama series. I love to think about a familiar subject in a new way.

The Syfy’s new show, The Internet Ruined My Life, airs on Wednesday evenings from 10 to 10:30PM. Are you aware that anything you do on the Internet leaves an electronic imprint of you (that can be tracked by others). It stays on the Internet forever (somewhere).

As a result of The Internet Ruined My Life, I have become more cautious as to how I reply to others on Facebook as well as how personal much personal information I provide on this blog, Encourage Me. (This show makes me more cautious in a good (and needed) way.)

One innocent careless (or humorous) Facebook post, Tweet (from Twitter), or Emoji (animated facial emotions) can elicit angry words (or even death threats) from a variety of individuals in the cyber community. In many cases law enforcement also gets involved.

The novel, Predator, by Terri Blackstock takes the above theme of the Internet even further to a rather horrifying conclusion. This should be required reading for everyone (especially females from age ten to thirty).

Matthew 10:16 (MSG) advises “Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you. You’re going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.”

This verse has a great deal of imagery. Let me restate for you the important message of this verse, and what it says to you during your time on the Internet (however often that might be).

“Be extremely cautious when you are on the Internet. Always be careful of what you type. Remember, others may not appreciate your opinion. Don’t make yourself obvious to others. Be sly and harmless.”

In closing, do you remember the popular children’s song that is still sang in many Sunday Schools world-wide? The chorus of O Be Careful Little Eyes What You See goes like this:

O be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little eyes what you see

For the Father up above is looking down in love

So be careful little eyes what you see

God is the ultimate “big brother” (Proverbs 18:24). He is watching over your shoulder whenever you get on a computer (smart phone, tablet, etc.).

Remember the above chorus. Is He seeing you wasting lots of valuable time, engaging in pornography (of any kind), or helping others? Only you know the answer.