Here are just a few starter introspection questions: –Are my posts genuinely meant to uplift others, or primarily meant to lift me up in the eyes of others? –How frequently do I need external validation from my online crowd? How long could I fast from that? –If upholding my beliefs were to result in my account being terminated, could I walk away? –Are my social media marketing strategies truthful, transparent, and of genuine service to the customer? –Do I think about my Savior and my covenants as often as I think about the reception of my recent posts, tweets, or videos? –Do my posts reflect my commitment to my covenants? These are tough questions that most of us can’t answer perfectly. But perhaps with some thought, effort, and prayer, we can improve our spiritual strength individually and as families. As we learn to resist the flattery of the world, we will better prepare ourselves to hear true praise from the only source that matters: the Lord himself. “Come unto me, ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth.” (Alma 5:16).
Flattery is strategic praise, praise with a purpose. It may be inflated or exaggerated or it may be accurate and truthful, but it is praise that seeks some result, whether it be increased liking or an office with a window…it uses the enhancement of another for our own self-advantage. It can even be genuine praise…”[iv]
Today, billions of us log on daily, hungry for the validation of likes, comments, and followers. Our youth plaintively echo Snow White’s stepmother: “Mirror Mirror on the Wall, who’s the most-liked one of all?”
Stengal tells us: In many ways, flattery works like a heat-seeking missile, only what the missile homes in on is our vanity. And vanity, as the sages tell us, is the most universal human trait. We all want to be liked. We all want to be appreciated. Flattery almost always hits its target because the target—you, me, everybody—rises up to meet it. We have no natural defense system against it. We don’t doubt because we want to believe…If it’s a lie, it’s a lie we don’t care or want to question
Imagine great-grandmother. If she craved a little validation, she might have made a tasty pie and put on her prettiest bonnet before driving into town. There, a few farmer’s wives might remark kindly on the pie or the bonnet, and great-grandmother likely lived on those compliments for several weeks. But today, we can post a picture and receive dozens or even hundreds of likes within an hour. The sheer number of them exceeds our spirits’ ability to cherish them. We glance superficially over the list of names, shrug at the sincerity of our friends, and wistfully watch the total number of likes inch upward until, inevitably, it stalls. Sometimes we are already planning our next post. Sometimes we think more about the photo-ops and camera angles than we do about the fun activities in which we participate.
Make no mistake. Prophets and apostles encourage sharing the gospel through social media. COVID-19 requires it of missionaries. Additionally, we can advance many other valuable causes through thoughtful online sharing. And responsible advertising can take many ethical forms. The solution to flattery is not to entirely abandon social media. Rather, we need to decrease our individual dependence on the praise of others.
Not only does flattery fall short of satisfying, but it also increases our vulnerability to pride and deception. We become more susceptible to lies because they feed our vanity.
Whereas God continually tries to lead us to higher ground, Satan either tries to lure us lower or flatter us that we’re good enough as we are. While God offers us cleansing repentance to pave the way for joy, Satan paints calls to repentance as judgmental and hateful. God defines “sin” to protect us from self-destructive behaviors that hurt us and injure those we love. But Satan denies the existence of sin, and flatters us that whatever we do is right. [vi] Satan pretends to welcome us with loving, open arms. But make no mistake, he despises those who fall for his deceptions.[vii] He’s in it for the profit and the laughs.
Daniel 11 describes a coming anti-Christ who will arise during the last days before the millennium. It specifies that this leader obtains power WITHOUT having been given a government office (contrary to popular predictions.) Read these verses carefully, watching for how he gains influence: “…a vile person to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries…” (v. 21) “He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his father’s fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches, yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds…” (v. 24) “he shall…have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant” (v. 30) “such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries” (v 32)… “…many shall cleave to them with flatteries” (v. 34). Did you catch that? Flattery shows up three times in this account, together with profit-sharing for the rich. These verses may also suggest that technology (secured devices) will come into play in totally new ways (things not done by the fathers or fathers’ fathers.)
I don’t know how Christ’s government will be structured when he reigns as King of Kings, but we know His Church will play a part. Somehow, He will have organization without bureaucracy, and order without regimentation.
Here are just a few starter introspection questions:
–Are my posts genuinely meant to uplift others, or primarily meant to lift me up in the eyes of others?
–How frequently do I need external validation from my online crowd? How long could I fast from that?
–If upholding my beliefs were to result in my account being terminated, could I walk away?
–Are my social media marketing strategies truthful, transparent, and of genuine service to the customer?
–Do I think about my Savior and my covenants as often as I think about the reception of my recent posts, tweets, or videos?
–Do my posts reflect my commitment to my covenants?
These are tough questions that most of us can’t answer perfectly. But perhaps with some thought, effort, and prayer, we can improve our spiritual strength individually and as families.
As we learn to resist the flattery of the world, we will better prepare ourselves to hear true praise from the only source that matters: the Lord himself. “Come unto me, ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth.” (Alma 5:16).
Missing Reference