Caution in Cyberland

The internet is a place of anonymity, and therefore a place of apparent safety - safety for the inward contemplation that I might find myself able to place on a website for the unknown masses, but never actually share with the people that I know in real life.

And then there is this odd intersection between the Cyberland and the “real world”… commonly recognized under the names of Facebook, Twitter, personal blogs, even Pintrest.  They are all arenas in which personal thoughts can be shared openly and instantly, without the tempering of time, or the awkward sensation of looking into another person’s eyes as you share your heart. 

Yet, the people who exist on your “Friend” list, or follow you on Twitter, or read your blogs – no matter how close of a friendship you share with them, or how distant an acquaintance may be – suddenly have total and complete access to your heart.

The threat from this ability to be open comes, not necessarily with the ideas you may spend hours preparing to share, but with the quick, reflexive rebuttals we may make to a “Friend’s” status update or an stranger’s blog when their heart-felt commentary (or even off-handed remarks!) begin to strike a little too near to the things we hold dear.  Our hearts may race, our fingers may pound, and then…

BANG!

Before you know it, the ugliness of your heart is displayed for all of the virtual world to see.  I have seen it happen many times when my friends (in the real world!) get dragged into a debate on the internet and end up saying harsh, judgmental things – things which end up affecting their real-world friendships, things which could not be erased with the simple typing of the words “I’m sorry.”

So the point of this?  This is my challenge for myself – and for anyone else who may find my little corner of Cyberland – to be careful what we write about, to be careful how we respond to others that we may disagree with, and to be careful how we respond to others who may disagree with us.

Blogging Goal #2:  Writing with Spirit-led honesty and love, despite any anger, criticism, or selfish desires that may be tempting.

Ultimately, all our Cyberland interactions should work to bring glory to God.  If they do not, than our Cyberland-selves are just another point of proof to the case of our great need for His grace.

As if I needed any more convincing.

I love this blog post by Heidi St. John, where she talks about her “5 Ways to Just Say “No” to Drama.”  With a fun sense of humor, she showed me just exactly what online drama looks like… and there was a WHOLE lot more in my Cyberland-life than I thought!  Heidi also gives a fun retake on the old “Stop, Drop, and Roll” phrase as her easy mantra about staying out of the unnecessary commotion.  I would highly suggest you take a look her blog!