社交媒体改变了我们的世界。即使在布基纳法索这个相当闭塞的国家，互联网也让人们与世界各地的联系变得更加容易。在新冠疫情期间，这是一个巨大的好处。
但互联网的使用也有另一面。社交媒体对社会甚至信仰都产生了负面影响。分享信息和谣言——往往来自可疑的来源——变得容易且极具诱惑力。在非洲，包括基督徒在内的许多人都在这样做。我们尤其喜欢分享一些丑闻、戏剧性和阴谋论的新闻。我们可能认为这类事情很常见，无伤大雅。但是，分享虚假信息就等于撒谎。
我发现，保罗给出了以下要说实话的理由，这很吸引人：我们都是一个身体的肢体。身体的每个部份都会影响整个身体。因此，如果基督徒传播错误信息，就会降低教会的真实性。这样，基督徒就会被视为不可信的人，从而使基督蒙羞，并最终损害我们分享耶稣的好消息的可信度。
基督徒的使命是以真理为生活准则。这并不意味着你必须远离社交媒体。这意味着你必须跟随耶稣，祂说：“我就是道路、真理和生命”（约翰福音 14:6）。让我们寻找方法，让这句话在网络世界中产生共鸣。
圣灵，请让我们成为被真理标记的人。愿你藉这真理将福音传给更多的人。阿们。
以弗所书 4:22-25
22就要脱去你们从前行为上的旧人，这旧人是因私欲的迷惑渐渐变坏的；
23又要将你们的心志改换一新，
24并且穿上新人，这新人是照着神的形象造的，有真理的仁义和圣洁。
25所以你们要弃绝谎言，各人与邻舍说实话，因为我们是互相为肢体。
"Speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body." - Ephesians 4:25
Social media has changed our world. Even in Burkina Faso, a fairly isolated country, the internet has made it much easier for people to connect with the rest of the world. This was a tremendous benefit during the COVID-19 crisis.
But there is another side to the use of the internet. Social media has had negative effects on society and even on faith. Sharing information and rumors—often from questionable sources—has become easy and very tempting. Many people in Africa, including Christians, are doing this. We especially like to share news about scandals, dramas, and conspiracies. We might think that these kinds of things are so common that they are harmless. But sharing false information is the same as lying.
I find it fascinating that Paul gives the following reason to speak truthfully: we are all members of one body. Each body part affects the whole body. So if believers in Christ spread misinformation, we reduce the truthfulness of the church. Christians are then seen as untrustworthy, and this dishonors Christ and ultimately harms our ability to be taken seriously when we share the good news of Jesus.
Christians are called to live by the truth. That doesn't mean you have to stay away from social media. It means you must follow Jesus, who says, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Let's look for ways to make that resonate in the social media world.
Holy Spirit, let us be people marked by the truth. And may the truth reach many people with the gospel. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
